SDP National Chairman Speaks On El-Rufai, Atiku, Peter Obi Defecting To His Party For 2027 Elections

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Gabam, says his party is in talks with some prominent Nigerians about how to win the 2027 elections in Nigeria.

He, however, ruled out the chances of a merger with other political parties.

Gabam, in an interview with the Punch, which was published on Sunday, 7th April, also ruled out the possibility of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar and 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, defecting to the SDP for the 2027 elections.

Asked if the aforementioned politicians had reached out to him for the 2027 elections, the SDP national chairman maintained that while his party is discussing with a lot of prominent Nigerians “beyond your imagination,” the details are strictly a confidential issue, and not for the public domain.

He added that his relationship with the likes of Atiku, Obi and El-Rufai dates back several years and particularly, El-Rufai’s recent visit is not a political one, but a visit between friends.

“No, that is my party’s strictly confidential issue. It’s not for the public domain. We’re discussing with a lot of prominent Nigerians beyond your imagination.

“You are in the SDP headquarters. You know I was in the PDP. Those in the APC, the PDP, and the SDP were all in one platform before. We know ourselves and we know what is going wrong. We have to go beyond partisan politics now. We have to be bipartisan in solving the Nigerian problem because partisanship has brought Nigeria into a deeper problem but has not solved the problem. So, we have to change the model. Looking at the SDP where you are seated today, is the PDP more structured, and more sophisticated than the SDP today?

“Yes, they have more governors but in terms of structure, in terms of organisation, is the PDP better than the SDP? Is the APC better than the SDP? So, we invested our experience, and our goodwill in the SDP. That’s why the whole attention of the country is on the SDP today. We eliminated all those things that caused crises in the APC and PDP. If you are coming to the SDP, and you want to contest, you just go to the bank and pay for your form. There’s no other way you will go bribe this, bribe that before you get your form. No, those things are out,” Gabam said in the interview.

He added that “My relationship with Atiku is dated back. Maybe you may forget. I was the deputy director general of his campaign. We were together at the PDP conventions and all those things in 1999. Atiku has not reached out to our party for now.”