El-Rufai Endorses SDP As Coalition’s Best Bet To Unseat Tinubu

Tuesday June 24, 2025

By Edem EDEM

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has declared the Social Democratic Party, SDP, as the most viable platform for the emerging political coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, El-Rufai revealed that discussions among key opposition figures have progressed significantly, with a consensus forming around the SDP as the preferred vehicle for the coalition’s ambitions.

According to him, leaders involved in the coalition plan have resolved that once a political party is unanimously chosen, they will collectively 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,” El-Rufai stated.

He also 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.