Muyiwa Adekeye, spokesperson for a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, says the recent visit of his principal to the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Abuja was without any political colouration.
Mr Adekeye, in a post on X, said Mr el-Rufai merely paid a visit to the National Chairman of SDP, Shehu Gabam, who is his (el-Rufai) friend.
He explained that Mr Gaban was at the home of the former governor the previous day and that the latter was only returning the visit.
“When Malam Nasir @elrufai visited Gabam the next day, he was merely returning a visit to a friend who happens to be SDP chairman,” the post reads in part.
Visit to SDP HQ
A video recently surfaced on social media showing Mr el-Rufai at the headquarters of the SDP. The video has been generating reactions on social media.
Some are speculating that the former governor may be considering moving to SDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr el-Rufai and President Bola Tinubu have a very complicated relationship. Before the 2022 APC primary election, Messrs Tinubu and el-Rufai were not what many could consider allies.
However, after the primaries, Mr el-Rufai, played a leading role in Mr Tinubu campaign. He openly spoke against former President Muhammadu Buhari during the implementation of the Naira redesign policy ahead of the election.
He was subsequently nominated as a minister by Mr Tinubu. However, a power play within the ruling APC led to his withdrawal as the Senate refused to confirm his nomination, citing security reasons.
Since the ministerial nomination controversy, the relationship between the two has been a subject of endless speculations.
The visit to the SDP headquarters is the latest in a series of speculations concerning the political future of the former Kaduna governor.
Merely returning a visit…..
Mr Adekeye said Mr el-Rufai had earlier hosted Iftar at his residence with Mr Gabam, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and others in attendance.
He wondered why Mr Gabam was not accused of planning to defect to the APC, Mr el-Rufai’s party, as a result of the visit to the latter’s home.
“Malam Nasir @elrufai hosted some friends to Iftar on Tuesday, 19 March 2024. NSA Nuhu Ribadu was at the Iftar with a senior APC figure like Alh. Kashim Imam. SDP National Chairman Shehu Musa Gabam was among the friends who partook in the Iftar. Gabam was not accused of considering crossing over to the APC on account of that.
Mr Adekeye explained that Mr el-Rufai has personal relationships outside the APC.
“People have personal histories and relationships that predate political affiliations. It cannot be a hallmark of civilisation to have friends from within only your political party. When people visit each other or mingle across party lines, it is because human relationships exist, distinct from the political or the partisan.
“Malam Nasir @elrufai is a senior member of the APC, one of the signatories to its merger documents, and a significant contributor to the party’s demonstrated viability. These contributions do not require that he treats friends as anathema on account of politics or maintains an antiseptic distance from them.”
While dismissing the speculation, he stated that the camp of the former governor is not expecting such reactions to any move by Mr el-Rufai to end anytime soon.
“Malam El-Rufai is known for being open and forthright. If he had any political decisions to make, it would not be in character to let them be subject to speculation.
“Unfounded speculations about Malam Nasir @elrufai have become an industry that has delivered tons of lies and clickbait in the last 18 years. This is unlikely to abate anytime soon, given the persistent obsession of its purveyors who relish in negativity and their tireless indulgence in conflating assumption with fact.
“A recent instance was when he visited former presidents late in 2023 to explain his Nigerian governance study book project covering each of their tenures, the speculators said it was about politics! That is why it is sometimes necessary to clarify matters lest the unwary be taken in,” Mr Adekeye said.
Read the full statement:
I consider the most recent speculations about Malam Nasir @elrufai as reflecting an unhealthy obsession with politics.
People have personal histories and relationships that predate political affiliations. It cannot be a hallmark of civilisation to have friends from within only your political party. When people visit each other or mingle across party lines, it is because human relationships exist, distinct from the political or the partisan.
Malam Nasir @elrufai is a senior member of the APC, one of the signatories to its merger documents, and a significant contributor to the party’s demonstrated viability. These contributions do not require that he treats friends as anathema on account of politics or maintains an antiseptic distance from them.
Malam Nasir @elrufai hosted some friends to Iftar on Tuesday, 19 March 2024. NSA Nuhu Ribadu was at the Iftar with a senior APC figure like Alh. Kashim Imam. SDP National Chairman Shehu Musa Gabam was among the friends who partook in the Iftar. Gabam was not accused of considering crossing over to the APC on account of that.
When Malam Nasir @elrufai visited Gabam the next day, he was merely returning a visit to a friend who happens to be SDP chairman.
Malam El-Rufai is known for being open and forthright. If he had any political decisions to make, it would not be in character to let them be subject to speculation.
Unfounded speculations about Malam Nasir @elrufai have become an industry that has delivered tons of lies and clickbaits in the last 18 years. This is unlikely to abate anytime soon, given the persistent obsession of its purveyors who relish in negativity and their tireless indulgence in conflating assumption with fact. A recent instance was when he visited former presidents late in 2023 to explain his Nigerian governance study book project covering each of their tenures. The speculators said it was about politics! That is why it is sometimes necessary to clarify matters lest the unwary be taken in.
Muyiwa Adekeye
21 March 2024
