Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed the idea of a possible future merger, and has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and others to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
This was following his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 10, citing a misalignment of values with the ruling party.
In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai pleaded with the politicians to join SDP to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The Presidency on Friday, had said that the 2027 general election was not Tinubuโs current focus, but how to improve the economic conditions of every Nigerian.
Tinubuโs Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday in a statement on X on Friday, said โPresident Tinubu is not worried about the next election. Heโs worried about the shared prosperity that he can bring to Nigerians.
โHeโs worried about how the reforms he has put in place will yield necessary impact. He is concerned about what happens to the economy of this country eventually. Thatโs the focus. โWeโve seen our foreign reserves go up. Weโve seen inflation come down. Weโve seen our trade surplus go up.
โWeโve seen exports go up and imports drop.
โWeโve seen the investments that have been attracted -over 50 billion. We are seeing prices dropping.
โWe have clear data and you have a President that is clearly in the driverโs seat, and he has stayed the course of the decisions he has taken.
โAnd I think that the next election is not really in his view right now.
โItโs how to make sure that at the end of his first term, he can sit back and say, look, โI have impacted the lives of Nigerians. I have turned this economy aroundโ.
However, El-Rufai during the interview with the BBC, called on the trio of Obi, Abubakar and Aregbesola to form a political alliance with him towards the 2027 elections.
โMy wishes and prayers are Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, all opposition leaders to come and join SDP, not to do a merger or to register a new political party,โ he said.
โWe all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, letโs support him. However, he failed.โ
El-Rufai clarified that his presidential political ambition in 2027, would depend on the party and the will of the people.
โIt 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,โ he said.
