By Abigail Philip David
Prominent political figures held a private meeting with leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at its national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting, which remained undisclosed in terms of its agenda, brought together notable personalities, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (former Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha), and Otunba Segun Showunmi, a former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar.
Otunba Showunmi confirmed the gathering in a Facebook post, describing it as a strategic session called by SDP Chairman Shehu Gabam. He wrote:
*”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, and Otunba Segun Showunmi. The alternative to meet, greet, and review the state of opposition democratic engagement in Nigeria.”*
This meeting comes amid ongoing speculation about El-Rufai’s political affiliations. Recently, rumors circulated that he had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a claim he vehemently denied.
On his verified X account (formerly Twitter), El-Rufai dismissed the reports as “patent lies” and confirmed he had instructed his lawyers to take 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 stated on Sunday.
An associate of El-Rufai, speaking on condition of anonymity, also refuted the rumors, describing them as the work of mischief-makers. He emphasized that the former governor, a significant figure within the APC, would not defect to another party without making it publicly known.
