My visit to SDP national secretariat personal — El-Rufai

Former governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai has dispelled the rumour going rounds that he might be joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP) rather he hinted that his recent visit to the secretariat of the party was personal.

He made the clarification in a statement he issued through his Special Adviser, Egbon Muyiwa Adekeye on Friday.

Recall speculations dominated both conventional and social media yesterday (Thursday) that Elrufai is planning to join SDP and possibly contest the nation’s highest office (president) in 2027.

However, in a quick reaction, the former Kaduna state governor dispelled the speculation going round about his possible crossover to another party describing it as the usual obsessions by few elements who survived by peddling lies especially when it comes to politics.

He noted that as human beings people had built relationships that predate political affiliations and associations, saying this is so because as long as human beings exist people will continue to visit and associate with each other.

Elrufai therefore argued that as a a senior member of the APC and one of its signatories, it does not require he treat friends as anathema on account of politics.

He further said he hosted an iftar (breakfast) with some of his friends in attendance like the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, a senior APC figure, Kashim Imam as well as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“Why was Gabam not accused of planning to join APC? the next day he(Elrufai ) decided to return the visit by visiting Gabam at the headquarters of his party’s secretariat.

“Malam El-Rufai is known for being open and forthright. If he had any political decisions to make, it would not be in character to let them be subject to speculation. Unfounded speculations about Malam Nasir El-Rufai have become an industry that has delivered tons of lies and clickbait in the last 18 years.

“This is unlikely to abate anytime soon, given the persistent obsession of its purveyors who relish in negativity and their tireless indulgence in conflating assumption with fact.

“A recent instance was when he visited former presidents late in 2023 to explain his Nigerian governance study book project covering each of their tenures, the speculators said it was about politics! That is why it is sometimes necessary to clarify matters lest the unwary be taken in,” the statement declared.

To this end, the statement noted that the most recent speculations about His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as reflecting an unhealthy obsession with politics.

“People have personal histories and relationships that predate political affiliations. It cannot be a hallmark of civilization to have friends from within only your political party.

“When people visit each other or mingle across party lines, it is because human relationships exist, distinct from the political or the partisan.

“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is a senior member of the APC one of the signatories to its merger documents, and a significant contributor to the party’s demonstrated viability. These contributions do not require that he treats friends as anathema on account of politics or maintains an antiseptic distance from them,” the statement added.