Dr. Olu Agunloye, the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has clarified that the recent visit of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the Abuja National Secretariat of the party was not politically motivated.
Agunloye emphasized in an interview with PUNCH that El-Rufai’s visit had no connection to the upcoming 2027 general elections. He described the visit as casual, asserting that it bore no political significance.
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He stated, “Everyone has been friends with El-Rufai. The National Chairman and El-Rufai were in the PDP at some point. El-Rufai and I served together in (Olusegun) Obasanjo’s cabinet. He simply came to visit his old friends. So, what could come out of that? I don’t know. Anything is possible and nothing may happen.”
Agunloye clarified that there was no prior arrangement for the visit, noting that El-Rufai’s presence at the office was coincidental. He emphasized that it was merely a friendly visit.
Regarding the possibility of El-Rufai joining the SDP, Agunloye remarked, “It depends on him. If he wishes to join, there is no issue at all. He will be warmly welcomed. If President Tinubu also expresses interest in joining the SDP, he will be welcomed.”
He further stated, “However, the current focus is beyond individual party affiliations. There are pressing issues at hand, particularly the need to salvage Nigeria. People must unite across party lines and religious boundaries to address these challenges. The situation in Nigeria is dire and cannot be resolved solely by divine intervention.”
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El-Rufai had retreated from political engagements after failing to secure a ministerial position in President Bola Tinubu’s administration. However, he resurfaced in the political arena with an unexpected visit to the SDP National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, on Wednesday.
Despite being among President Tinubu’s ministerial nominees, El-Rufai was not approved by the Senate. Since his return to the country after a period overseas, he has maintained a relatively low political profile.
