Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has responded to the recent call by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, urging prominent opposition leaders to join the Social Democratic Party.
El-Rufai, in an interview aired on BBC on Saturday, invited figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and others to join the SDP.
In a rebuttal aired on Sunday, Lamido described El-Rufai’s invitation as an “insult to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).” He further criticized the notion, calling it disrespectful, especially considering the role the PDP played in the formation of Nigerian politics.
“It’s an act of disrespect for him to make that call. How can a little child claim to be more intelligent than his grandfather? The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai,” Lamido remarked. “You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP.”
Lamido also recalled El-Rufai’s earlier remark claiming that there were no elders in Nigerian politics, adding, “He once said that there are no elders in Nigeria in politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP. He doesn’t have that capacity.”
The former governor further questioned El-Rufai’s decision to switch from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP, suggesting his move was motivated by personal ambitions. “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,” Lamido stated.
Emphasizing his long-standing loyalty to the PDP, Lamido made it clear that the party had not done anything to justify his defection. “If I was going to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed,” he said. “Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole.”
Lamido concluded by advising El-Rufai to prioritize patriotism over personal grievances. “What should be done is to put patriotism first, instead of showing anger towards someone. The PDP has been working to rebuild its strength after losing the 2015 presidential election,” Lamido stated.
