Key political figures, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and allies of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, held a private meeting with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday.

The closed-door meeting, which took place at the SDP national secretariat, has sparked speculations about potential political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among the notable attendees were Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha an ex-presidential candidate and former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen Sani Abacha and Atiku’s former spokesman, Otunba Segun Showunmi.

Although the specific agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, it is being described as part of a broader strategy to forge alliances among opposition figures with the aim of presenting a formidable challenge to President Bola Tinubu in the next election cycle.

Showunmi confirmed the meeting in a Facebook post, describing it as a “strategic gathering” convened by SDP Chairman, Shehu Gabam, to evaluate the state of opposition politics in Nigeria.

“You must set forth at dawn! A Strategic Meeting was called by HE Shehu Gabam, Chairman of SDP, with HE Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Otunba Segun Showunmi. The alternative to meet, greet, and review the state of opposition democratic engagement in Nigeria,” Showunmi wrote.

The SDP Chairman, Gabam, also confirmed the meeting in an interview with The PUNCH, saying it was a meeting of like-minded individuals seeking to connect with others who shared their vision for Nigeria’s progress.

Gabam stated “There is no official statement from El-Rufai or any one of them about officially joining SDP. So, as I said, they are open to conversation and negotiations for a better Nigeria. It’s not about a political party; it’s about the future of Nigeria.

“We are looking for like-minded people who believe in the future of the country so that we can work together and uplift the individual standard of Nigeria.

“It’s not just them. The attention of the media only went to them. I have received a lot of dignitaries from different political parties in the office, discussing the way forward, how to stabilise the country, and how to offer productive, progressive advice to this government so that there will not be a crisis.

“Because once the government has a crisis, it affects every Nigerian. So, part of our responsibilities is to make sure we are not facing a crisis. When the time comes, we will decide what to do about other things.

“There is an ongoing conversation. When the time comes, we will arrive at a conclusion, and we will hold an official press conference. Once we agree on what we are going to do together, we will unveil it to all Nigerians. But at the preliminary stage, we are having our own social gatherings and discussing national issues.”

Gabam described the SDP as a responsible and respectable party that engaged in constructive opposition without provocation.

“So, principally, that’s what we are doing. More like-minded people are already on board. So today, there are other heavyweights involved, with whom we are discussing. To me, it’s a normal thing, a normal routine that I go through in the office all the time.

“So, it’s a welcome development, not just for those of us that met, but for everyone willing to come on board. SDP is a responsible party by history and analysis, and we will continue to provide decent leadership for Nigeria.

“Our interest is our country first, above any other consideration. We want to have a peaceful country, a well-coordinated country, economic prosperity, political stability for investors, and so on.

“We don’t have any other objective other than that. So we are playing our role as an opposition party, just the way APC played its role and ousted PDP from power,” he added.

The meeting comes just two days after El-Rufai dismissed rumors of his defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.

On his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, the former governor labelled the reports as “patent lies” and indicated he had instructed his lawyers to pursue legal action against those spreading the misinformation.

“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,” El-Rufai posted.

A close associate of El-Rufai also refuted the claims, suggesting that such allegations were the work of mischief-makers intent on creating political uncertainty.

The involvement of prominent APC figures like El-Rufai in discussions with SDP leaders has fuelled speculation about potential cracks within the ruling party.

While El-Rufai remains a key figure in the APC, his participation in opposition-related activities is being closely watched by political analysts.

As Nigeria inches toward the 2027 elections, this meeting signals an intensifying effort among opposition groups to consolidate and strategize for a united front against the ruling APC.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s authentic National Secretary of the party.

Disclosing this on Tuesday, PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, said the party affirmed Ude-Okoye in compliance with a Court of Appeal order.

Addressing journalists at PDP’s National Secretariat in Abuja, Ologunagba said the party was in receipt of the Court’s ruling affirming Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary.

According to Ologunagba, PDP intends to carry out the dictates of the court fully.

He said: “I’m sure you know the background to all the cases where we have two cases, two orders and then there was the court of appeal.

“And on 24th of December, 2024, after consultation with the legal adviser, the office of the legal adviser, it was confirmed that we have received the judgment of the two appeals affirming Rt. Hon S.K.E Ude-Okoye as the national secretary of the party.

“As a party, we are rule-of-law compliant, we have received the judgement of the court of appeal that has affirmed Rt. Hon S.K.E Ude-Okoye as the national secretary of PDP and we as a party are bound by that judgement because it is the highest judgement today.

“And we will take appropriate action as required of a responsible political party to ensure that the position of the law is complied with.”

The declaration effectively lays to rest the claims by Senator Samuel Anyanwu to the National Secretary seat of the PDP.

Ude-Okoye had recently declared himself as the PDP National Secretary, citing a recent Court of Appeal judgment.

The development follows the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, which affirmed the nomination of the former PDP National Youth Leader as a replacement for Anyanwu.

The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, on December 20, 2024, upheld the judgment of an Enugu High Court that affirmed Udo-Okoye as Anyanwu’s replacement.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Osun state chapter, has dismissed the negative posture of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the overwhelming endorsements for re-election received by Governor Ademola Adeleke recently as the last kick of a dying horse, noting that the main opposition is fighting a lost battle.

The PDP, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi on Monday, said the Osun APC must purge itself of the arrogance of recognising the will of the people in a democracy, declaring that no amount of ranting or innuendos will takeaway the fact that Osun people are solidly behind Governor Adeleke and will renew his mandate when the ballot is opened.

Hon. Bisi lashed at the Osun APC for showing no remorse at all for the hopelessness and pains that it’s misgovernance and bad financial decisions inspired while it administer the affairs of the state, pointing out that it will be a grave misreading of the situation to think it can sneak to power using falsehood and propaganda.

“It is a pity that the Osun APC has been lost to illusion that it is failing to see that Osun people are solidly behind Governor Ademola Adeleke. Osun APC’s irrational contest of the will of the people is a danger to our democracy and should concern all,” the statement reads in part.

“Contrary to the erroneous postulation of the Osun APC, Governor earned the endorsements for another term in office on the merit of the remarkable work he has done in his first two years. In infrastructure, not only has Governor Adeleke initiated new roads and bridges, but also completed some that were abandoned by the preceding APC administration.

“If the Osun APC had any honour left with it, the right thing to do was to acknowledge it, but we suspect they are so ashamed and would want to keep it away from the public. They are however mistaken, as the truth of their failure while in office was too open to be concealed and the public are well aware of how much Governor Adeleke is working to fix their mess.”

Hon. Bisi who pointed that in two years, Governor Adeleke has taken measures to provide reprieve for many families that the Osun APC maladministration has caused undue pains, said it is entirely fallacy for the Osun APC to think the people will return those who abandoned their welfare and failed miserably in upscaling infrastructure in the state back to power.

“Under the APC, promotions were given but the financial aspect of it was left unattended to. Governor Adeleke came and not only implemented the financial consequences of the promotion, but also cashbacked it. The same thing with pensioners who have received more release of their bond certificate in two years than in twelve years of the APC in Osun.

“Yet, the Osun APC is wondering why the people are endorsing Governor Adeleke for re-election. Except for delusion, the reason is clear and only those who wants the retrogression of Osun will do otherwise.”

Hon. Bisi dismissed the claim by the Osun APC that Governor Adeleke sacked 1,500 teachers in the state as an invented lie that has failed to gain life, wondering why the APC has find it hard to produce the purported sack letter of those disengaged.

“It is not surprising that the Osun APC is regurgitating the same lie it has repeatedly promoted for over two years. They have no reasonable thing to hold the Governor, hence, manufacturing lies, which has failed with the people. When Governor Adeleke assumed office, education was near comatose as public schools infrastructure were in a deplorable conditions, unhealthy for both students and teachers.

“This was because his predecessor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, made no investment whatsoever on the infrastructure of public, turning what should be a safe environment into a dangerous trap. In two years, Governor Adeleke has concentrated on putting the infrastructures in good conditions and equipping, making if safe for both teachers and students. No fewer than 100 public schools has been rehabilitated and equipped and many more will be done this year. This will be followed by deploying successful candidates in the almost concluded teaching recruitment into those schools.

“Similar investment are made in the health sector, with about 200 PHCs across the state wholly rehabilitated and equipped with 24/7 power and water. This wouldn’t have been necessary if Oyetola had not misused the $20.5 million grant received from the World Bank to upscale the infrastructures of the PHCs to the standard of the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is rather unfortunate that those who failed grossly when they had the chance are turning to blame the man fixing their mess.

“It is however comforting that Osun people are well aware of the horrible past that the APC represents in the state and will not be swayed by doomed-to-fail mission to sneak to power. In the days ahead, Osun people should expect more of the APC’s wild rhetorics and deliberate misinformation campaign in the desperation for power, but they must firmly reject them in order to guarantee the progress that Osun is witnessing under Governor Adeleke.”