The Social Democratic Party (SDP) leadership met privately with major political heavyweights in Abuja on Tuesday, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The SDP national secretariat hosted the private conference, which has raised questions about possible political realignments in the run-up to the general elections in 2027.
Among the prominent attendees were Otunba Segun Showunmi, the former spokesperson for Atiku, and Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former presidential contender and former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
The meeting’s exact agenda was not made public, but it is being characterised as a component of a larger plan to unite opposition leaders to pose a serious threat to President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming election cycle.
Using a Facebook post to confirm the meeting, Showunmi said it was a “strategic gathering” called by SDP Chairman Shehu Gabam to assess the situation of opposition politics in Nigeria.
“You have to go out at first light! Otunba Segun Showunmi, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, and HE Nasir El-Rufai were invited to a strategic meeting called by SDP Chairman HE Shehu Gabam. The alternative is to meet, greet, and assess the level of democratic engagement by the opposition in Nigeria,” Showunmi stated.
In an interview with reporters, SDP Chairman Gabam also confirmed the gathering, stating that it was a gathering of people who shared similar goals and aimed to establish connections with those who shared their outlook on Nigeria’s development.
“Neither El-Rufai nor any of them have made any official statements regarding their official joining of the SDP,” Gabam said.
“They are therefore amenable to discussion and compromise for a better Nigeria, as I mentioned. The issue is about Nigeria’s future, not a political party. So that we may cooperate and raise Nigeria’s standard of living, we are seeking like-minded individuals who have faith in the nation’s future.
“It’s not only them. They were the only ones who received media notice. To prevent a crisis, I have had numerous dignitaries from various political parties in the office to debate the future, how to stabilise the nation, and how to provide this government with constructive, forward-thinking counsel. Because every Nigerian gets impacted whenever there is a crisis in the administration.
“Therefore, one of our duties is to ensure that we are not experiencing a catastrophe. We shall determine what to do about other matters when the time comes. A discussion is going on. At the appropriate moment, we will reach a decision and have a formal news conference.
“We will reveal it to all Nigerians after we have decided on our joint course of action. However, in the initial phase, we are holding our social events and talking about national matters.”
According to Gabam, the SDP was a respectable and responsible party that demonstrated constructive opposition without being provoked.
“That’s what we’re doing. There are already more folks who share similar views. Now, we are talking about other heavyweights who are involved. It’s just a routine that I go through every day at work, so it seems regular to me.
“For those of us who met as well as for everyone else who is willing to join, this is a positive development. The SDP has a track record of responsibility and will continue to offer Nigeria respectable leadership. First and foremost, our nation is in our best interests.
“We don’t have any other goals save having a peaceful, well-coordinated nation with economic growth and political stability for investors.
“As an opposition party, we are thereby doing our responsibility in the same manner that the APC did when it overthrew the PDP,” he added.
Two days before the meeting, El-Rufai denied reports that he had defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.
The former governor called the reports ‘patent lies’ on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account and said he had directed his solicitors to take legal action against the disinformation spreaders.
“Please ignore the speculations and outright lies regarding my political affiliation. My lawyers have submitted the main propagandists of the false information for additional action,” El-Rufai wrote on social media.
Additionally, a close acquaintance of El-Rufai denied the allegations, arguing that they were the product of scheming individuals who wanted to sow political doubt.
There have been rumours of possible divisions within the ruling party stoked by the participation of well-known APC figures such as El-Rufai in talks with SDP leaders.
Political observers are keeping a close eye on El-Rufai’s involvement in opposition-related activities, even though he is still a significant player in the APC.
This gathering marks a growing attempt by opposition parties to unite and plan for a unified front against the ruling APC as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.
