El-Rufai-Atiku-Obi-Rauf

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has dismissed the idea of a potential 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 call for alignment follows 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 encouraged these politicians to unite under the SDP to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections. However, the Presidency stated that the 2027 general election is not currently on Tinubu’s agenda; instead, the focus is on improving the economic conditions for all Nigerians.

In a statement on X, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications emphasized, “President Tinubu is not worried about the next election. He’s focused on the shared prosperity he can bring to Nigerians. He is concerned about the impact of the reforms he has implemented and the state of the country’s economy.” The adviser highlighted positive economic indicators, including an increase in foreign reserves, a decrease in inflation, an increase in trade surplus, and growing investments exceeding $50 billion. “Prices are dropping, and we have clear data to support this. We have a President who is firmly in control and committed to his decisions. The next election is not his primary concern right now; it’s about ensuring that by the end of his first term, he can reflect and say, ‘I have positively impacted the lives of Nigerians and turned this economy around.’”

In the interview with BBC, El-Rufai reiterated his call for Obi, Abubakar, former Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and other opposition leaders to join the SDP, rather than merging or forming a new political party. “What pains me is that the government we supported, and in which we had confidence, has not performed as expected. We believed Tinubu could replicate his successes in Lagos on a national scale despite the challenges he faced. However, he has failed to deliver,” he stated.

El-Rufai stated that his presidential ambition for 2027 will depend on the party’s decision and the people’s will.

“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 said.