Former Jigawa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Sule Lamido, has rejected an invitation from ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP, made the appeal in a BBC Hausa interview, urging key opposition figures—including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola—to follow his lead.
However, in a separate interview, Lamido dismissed the invitation as an insult, arguing that the PDP, which he helped build, played a key role in El-Rufai’s political rise.
“The PDP is the party that made El-Rufai. He is not in any position to tell us to leave it,” Lamido said.
The former governor also took a swipe at El-Rufai’s leadership style, stating that governance should be driven by patience and patriotism rather than personal ambition or anger.
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“If I wanted to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed,” he said, reaffirming his commitment to the party.
Lamido questioned El-Rufai’s reasons for defecting, highlighting contradictions in his political stance.
“He once claimed there were no adults in Nigerian politics, but now he is calling on us to join him,” he remarked.
As the PDP continues efforts to rebuild after its 2015 electoral defeat, Lamido maintained that the party remains a strong political force and dismissed El-Rufai’s call as inconsequential.
