Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor has declared his strong support for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the right political vehicle for the emerging opposition coalition seeking to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
While speaking during an interview on Arise Television, El-Rufai revealed that negotiations among key opposition figureheads have progressed smoothly, with a consensus forming around the SDP as the preferred vehicle for the coalition’s ambitions.
He noted that leaders involved in the coalition movement have agreed that once a political party is unanimously picked, they will massively defect from their current parties to unite under the new banner.
He said: “When I joined the SDP, I made it clear in my statement that even though I am in the SDP, just like every other person, I mean, Atiku Abubakar is still in the PDP, Peter Obi has not officially left Labour Party.
“But we all agreed that if we have consensus on a platform we are going to give our own legacy parties and focus on that platform. We are still not there yet t, the leadership will receive a report on the SDP as well as the other party.
“And then a decision will be taken. I strongly believe that the SDP is the best platform for a coalition; its history, its legacy, its sentimental value, and everything about it are almost perfect – the name, the logo – and I’m advocating for that among my colleagues”.
Speaking further, El-rufai stated that a coalition is not a merger but that the team is in search of a platform that would serve as a strong opposition against the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.
“The main battle begins once we have a platform,” El-Rufai added.
