Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has urged Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, and other opposition leaders to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the 2027 general election, rejecting the idea of a political merger.
El-Rufai’s call comes in the wake of his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 10, citing a growing misalignment of values with the ruling party.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, the former governor called on prominent opposition figures to unite under the SDP’s platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election.
“My wishes and prayers are that Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, and all opposition leaders come and join SDP—not to merge or form a new party, but to build a strong alternative,” El-Rufai stated.
Reflecting on his previous support for Tinubu, he expressed disappointment in the president’s performance.
“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges,” he said.
“We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency has downplayed concerns over the 2027 election, emphasizing that President Tinubu is currently focused on improving Nigeria’s economic conditions.
In a statement on Friday, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Bayo Onanuga, insisted that governance remains Tinubu’s priority.
“President Tinubu is not worried about the next election. He’s worried about the shared prosperity that he can bring to Nigerians.
“He’s worried about how the reforms he has put in place will yield the necessary impact. He is concerned about what happens to the economy of this country eventually. That’s the focus,” Onanuga said.
He also pointed to positive economic indicators, including rising foreign reserves, a decline in inflation, an increase in trade surplus, and over $50 billion in new investments.
“We have clear data, and you have a President that is clearly in the driver’s seat, staying the course of his decisions. I think that the next election is not really in his view right now,” he added.
However, El-Rufai has left open the possibility of his own presidential bid in 2027, stating that the decision is not his to make alone.
“It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced Muhammadu Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest,” he explained.
