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Sule Lamido, a former Jigawa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain has turned the call by ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasiru El-Rufai for opposition leaders to join forces with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of 2027 general elections.
Lamido made this known in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Sunday, March 16, 2025, dismissing El-Rufai's invitation as an insult.
His reaction follows a recent call by the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, who called on key opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola, to join him in his new party.
Recall that EL-Rufai, who announced his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, March 17, 205, made the call in an earlier interview with BBC Hausa.
“My wishes and prayers are for Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, and all opposition leaders to come and join SDP, not to do a merger or to register a new political party," he said.
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Lamido slams El-Rufai
In his response, Lamido reminded El-Rufai that the PDP, which he helped build, laid the foundation for the former Kaduna Governor's political career.
“The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai.
“You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP,” Lamido said, adding, “He once said that there are no adults in Nigeria in politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.”
The former Jigawa Governor further probed El-Rufai’s motives for defecting from the APC to the SDP, pointing out alleged flaws in his claim regarding former President Muhammadu Buhari's purported endorsement of the move.
“He said he told President Buhari about his decision to leave the APC, but now he is saying that he is one of the adults in Nigerian politics,” he stated.
Lamido stressed that the PDP had not done anything to force him out of the party, reaffirming his long-standing loyalty by saying, “If I was going to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed."
The PDP chieftain slammed El-Rufai's leadership style, saying leadership is not about anger or selfish ambition.
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“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole,” he noted.
Lamido counselled the former FCT minister to prioritise patriotism instead of showing anger towards others, saying, “What should be done is to put patriotism first, instead of showing anger towards someone.”