You don’t just sit down and say you want to win election and then go and bring out anybody – Southwest Party Leader
SDP warn El-Rufai – With regard to the new membership of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and other individuals who have lately joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the leadership of the SDP in Southwest provided clarity over the weekend.
From the perspective of the party, new members are expected to play the game in accordance with the rules, and they are not permitted to take control of the party from those who have been there before them.
Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the South West, made a bold statement during an Iftar hosted by the Oyo State chapter of the party for stakeholders in the 11 local governments in Ibadanland.
Akande said that the party would take precautions to present only credible and tested candidates in the 2027 general election.
She said, “politics is a game of numbers and anybody who wants to come into SDP is welcome as long as they are ready to play by the rules of the party and not with the mind of taking the party from those who are there before.
“You don’t just sit down and say you want to win election and then go and bring out anybody. We must have the right candidates, somebody tested and trusted,who has integrity that when people hears his name they can rely on him.
“Someone who is dependable and reliable who will work for the people and not for himself. Those are the qualities we are looking for.”
On March 10, El-Rufai, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), announced his resignation from the ruling party.
In a post on his verified Facebook page, El-Rufai confirmed his defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), stating that he had submitted his resignation letter to his ward in Kaduna.
Since El-Rufai joined the SDP, he has been trying to get more politicians to join him in the party so that they may defeat the APC in 2027 and take control of the government.
El-Rufai met with Tunde Bakare and Rauf Aregbesola, who was a previous ally of Tinubu’s, as part of the planning that is taking place in preparation for the election in 2027.
In addition to this, El-Rufai has urged Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and Atiku Abubakar, who served as Vice President in the past, to join his new party.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai responded to the rumours that his decision to switch parties to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is a strategy to run for president in 2027.
He said, “It is not for me to decide, it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest.”