The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has addressed circulating rumors regarding the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Speculations suggested that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress to the SDP, had been promised the party’s presidential nomination for the upcoming elections.
Adebayo, however, refuted these claims during an interview on News Central’s Politics HQ, emphasizing the party’s commitment to democratic principles and internal competition.
Addressing the rumors, Adebayo stated, “He (El-Rufai) didn’t ask for it and it will be unlawful to promise anyone a presidential ticket; we (SDP) don’t work like that. This is a party with tradition, this is a party in which MKO Abiola ran. We’re a party that will do competitive processes. Where you seek to represent the party in any election, you go through competitive processes.”
He further highlighted his own political ambitions, noting, “He (El-Rufai) knows that I have a strong and almost certain presidential ambition; he knows that other people have it too, so I don’t think he expects to be coming to a place where he would be given any special treatment.”
Expressing optimism about El-Rufai’s addition to the party, Adebayo remarked, “I feel strengthened that if the time comes to run for office, presidency in 2027, which I intend to run, having an El-Rufai on your side is a plus, not a negative, so I feel strengthened.”
Nasir El-Rufai’s defection from the APC to the SDP on March 10, 2025, has been a focal point in Nigerian political discourse. In his resignation statement titled “Onwards to the Future,” El-Rufai expressed deep disappointment with the APC’s current trajectory, citing a departure from its founding principles and a lack of internal democracy.
He lamented that over the past two years, the party’s leadership showed no desire to address internal issues, leading to his decision to seek an alternative platform aligned with his progressive values.
Reflecting on his tenure and contributions to the APC, El-Rufai remarked, “I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform but recognize that the party has since strayed and left me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founding fathers and mothers.”
He further criticized the party’s current state, stating, “These records count for little in the current APC that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt in the last two years.” El-Rufai’s resignation letter was submitted to his ward in Kaduna, marking his official departure from the party.
El-Rufai’s decision to join the SDP was driven by his desire to realign with a party that embodies the progressive ideals he cherishes. He emphasized the importance of Nigeria flourishing as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black race. In his statement, El-Rufai called on supporters and concerned Nigerians to join the SDP, aiming to build a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in future elections.
He asserted, “I therefore call on all our supporters and other persons concerned about our country’s future to join us in the SDP in the journey towards making Nigeria flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race.”
El-Rufai’s relationship with the APC leadership, particularly with President Bola Tinubu, has been strained. Despite being a prominent northern figure who supported Tinubu’s presidential bid in 2023, their relationship deteriorated following the Senate’s rejection of El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination in August 2023, citing security concerns raised by the Department of State Services. Since then, El-Rufai has distanced himself from APC activities, fueling speculations about his political future.
