Former Jigawa State Governor and prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Sule Lamido, has rejected a call by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, urging opposition figures to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP, made the call in a BBC Hausa interview, inviting key opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola to join him in the SDP. While El-Rufai did not mention Lamido by name, his invitation was seen as a direct appeal to opposition leaders.
In a separate BBC Hausa interview on Sunday, Lamido dismissed El-Rufai’s call as an insult, emphasizing that the PDP, which he played a key role in building, was the very foundation of El-Rufai’s political career.
“The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai,” Lamido said. “You are not enough to make us leave the PDP.”
Lamido also criticized El-Rufai’s recent statements, referencing the former governor’s past comments about the lack of mature leadership in Nigerian politics. “He once said there are no adults in Nigerian politics, but now he’s calling us to join him in the SDP,” Lamido pointed out.
The former governor raised questions about El-Rufai’s reasons for leaving the APC, noting that the latter had previously claimed to have informed President Buhari of his decision. “Now, he is claiming to be one of the adults in Nigerian politics,” Lamido added.
Lamido also rejected any suggestion of leaving the PDP, highlighting his longstanding loyalty to the party. “If I were going to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed,” he stated.
Criticizing El-Rufai’s leadership style, Lamido said effective leadership is not about anger or personal ambition, but rather about patience, vision, and a commitment to the welfare of the people. “Leadership is about doing things for the peace and progress of the people and the country as a whole,” Lamido said.
He urged El-Rufai to prioritize patriotism over personal grievances, advising him to focus on what is best for Nigeria. “What should be done is to put patriotism first, instead of showing anger toward others,” Lamido concluded. He also reaffirmed the PDP’s ongoing efforts to rebuild its strength following its loss in the 2015 presidential election.
