Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, has reignited political speculation following his visit to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) national headquarters on Tuesday.
The visit occurred just two days after El-Rufai vehemently denied rumours of his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Taking to the social media platform X on Sunday, El-Rufai dismissed the defection claims, labeling them as “patent lies.”
He further revealed that legal action had been initiated against those spreading the rumours.
“Please disregard the patent lies and rumours about my political affiliation. I have referred the lead peddlers of the fake news for further action by my lawyers,” he stated.
However, photos shared by Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, the Chairman of Liberty TV and Radio Kaduna and a former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) board chair, revealed El-Rufai’s presence at the SDP office.
Ramalan described the meeting as a strategic session aimed at forming a unified political front to challenge the APC in the 2027 general elections.
“At the Social Democratic Party (SDP) National Headquarters today are Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (Rtd), Segun Showunmi, Senator Gada, and other political actors gathering, looking for a unified platform for the 2027 Presidential Battle,” Ramalan wrote.
El-Rufai’s visit to the SDP is not his first. In March 2024, he reportedly made a similar appearance at the party’s Abuja office.
At the time, his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, clarified that the visit was a courtesy call in response to a previous engagement with the party’s chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam.
Adekeye dismissed speculation about any political alignment, asserting that the visit did not signal a shift in El-Rufai’s political affiliations.
No official statement has been released regarding Tuesday’s visit.