Key political figures, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and allies of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, held a private meeting with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday.
The closed-door meeting, which took place at the SDP national secretariat, has sparked speculations about potential political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among the notable attendees were Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha an ex-presidential candidate and former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen Sani Abacha and Atiku’s former spokesman, Otunba Segun Showunmi.
Although the specific agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, it is being described as part of a broader strategy to forge alliances among opposition figures with the aim of presenting a formidable challenge to President Bola Tinubu in the next election cycle.
Showunmi confirmed the meeting in a Facebook post, describing it as a “strategic gathering” convened by SDP Chairman, Shehu Gabam, to evaluate the state of opposition politics in Nigeria.
“You must set forth at dawn! A Strategic Meeting was called by HE Shehu Gabam, Chairman of SDP, with HE Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Otunba Segun Showunmi. The alternative to meet, greet, and review the state of opposition democratic engagement in Nigeria,” Showunmi wrote.
The SDP Chairman, Gabam, also confirmed the meeting in an interview with The PUNCH, saying it was a meeting of like-minded individuals seeking to connect with others who shared their vision for Nigeria’s progress.
Gabam stated “There is no official statement from El-Rufai or any one of them about officially joining SDP. So, as I said, they are open to conversation and negotiations for a better Nigeria. It’s not about a political party; it’s about the future of Nigeria.
“We are looking for like-minded people who believe in the future of the country so that we can work together and uplift the individual standard of Nigeria.
“It’s not just them. The attention of the media only went to them. I have received a lot of dignitaries from different political parties in the office, discussing the way forward, how to stabilise the country, and how to offer productive, progressive advice to this government so that there will not be a crisis.
“Because once the government has a crisis, it affects every Nigerian. So, part of our responsibilities is to make sure we are not facing a crisis. When the time comes, we will decide what to do about other things.
“There is an ongoing conversation. When the time comes, we will arrive at a conclusion, and we will hold an official press conference. Once we agree on what we are going to do together, we will unveil it to all Nigerians. But at the preliminary stage, we are having our own social gatherings and discussing national issues.”
Gabam described the SDP as a responsible and respectable party that engaged in constructive opposition without provocation.
“So, principally, that’s what we are doing. More like-minded people are already on board. So today, there are other heavyweights involved, with whom we are discussing. To me, it’s a normal thing, a normal routine that I go through in the office all the time.
“So, it’s a welcome development, not just for those of us that met, but for everyone willing to come on board. SDP is a responsible party by history and analysis, and we will continue to provide decent leadership for Nigeria.
“Our interest is our country first, above any other consideration. We want to have a peaceful country, a well-coordinated country, economic prosperity, political stability for investors, and so on.
“We don’t have any other objective other than that. So we are playing our role as an opposition party, just the way APC played its role and ousted PDP from power,” he added.
The meeting comes just two days after El-Rufai dismissed rumors of his defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.
On his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, the former governor labelled the reports as “patent lies” and indicated he had instructed his lawyers to pursue legal action against those spreading the misinformation.
“Please disregard the patent lies and rumours about my political affiliation. I have referred the lead peddlers of the fake news for further action by my lawyers,” El-Rufai posted.
A close associate of El-Rufai also refuted the claims, suggesting that such allegations were the work of mischief-makers intent on creating political uncertainty.
The involvement of prominent APC figures like El-Rufai in discussions with SDP leaders has fuelled speculation about potential cracks within the ruling party.
While El-Rufai remains a key figure in the APC, his participation in opposition-related activities is being closely watched by political analysts.
As Nigeria inches toward the 2027 elections, this meeting signals an intensifying effort among opposition groups to consolidate and strategize for a united front against the ruling APC.
