Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has dismissed the idea that Malam Nasir El-Rufai is representing the party in the coalition talks being held ahead of the 2027 election.
Following his fallout with the presidency, El-Rufai dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the SDP in March. He has since been campaigning for an opposition coalition to wrest power from President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party in 2027.
As a member of the SDP, El-Rufai has been reaching out to other opposition politicians and other political leaders in the country to join him in the party to form an alliance against the APC.
However, Adebayo has distanced the SDP from El-Rufai’s coalition campaign, saying the party is not in any coalition talks led by someone else.
He added that the leadership of the party has not assigned anyone to speak or negotiate on its behalf.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, Adebayo said, “The SDP is not involved in any coalition led by somebody else, but I can tell you, and the SDP is led by Alh. Shehu Gabam and Olu Agunloye, he has not given me an assignment to do coalition on his behalf. He’s not given any assignment to my senior brother, El-Rufai. El-Rufai is not representing SDP in any coalition.”
When asked if the SDP is entering a coalition, Adebayo said the party is waiting, planning and considering options.
He said, “The SDP is waiting, is expressing its own understanding of how best it will come together and remove this person and cause the APC and non performing president called Bola Tinubu.”
This isn’t the first time Adebayo has cautioned against internal hijack of the party. Back in April, he warned that recent defectors, including El-Rufai, would not be allowed to take over the SDP and use it as a platform for personal political battles.
“The SDP is a party with clear values and a national agenda. We welcome new members, but no one will be allowed to turn this party into a tool for personal revenge or vendetta,” Adebayo had said.
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