Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has distanced the party from the coalition-building activities led by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, clarifying that El-Rufai is not representing the party in any opposition alliance talks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, Adebayo asserted that no mandate had been given to El-Rufai by the SDP leadership to engage in coalition discussions or represent the party in any political negotiations.
“The SDP is not involved in any coalition led by somebody else,” Adebayo said. “I can tell you, and the SDP is led by Alhaji Shehu Gabam and Dr. Olu Agunloye, and neither of them has given me an assignment to do coalition on their behalf. They have not given any assignment to my senior brother, El-Rufai. El-Rufai is not representing SDP in any coalition.”
El-Rufai, who left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in March following disagreements with the presidency, announced his move to the SDP and has since been actively promoting the idea of an opposition coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the APC in 2027. He has reportedly reached out to various political leaders to join him in the initiative.
Despite El-Rufai’s efforts, Adebayo emphasised that the SDP is currently taking a more measured approach.
“The SDP is waiting; it is expressing its own understanding of how best it will come together and remove this person and cause the APC and non-performing president called Bola Tinubu,” he said.
He further stressed that while the party is planning and evaluating its political strategies, it remains autonomous and will not be co-opted into a coalition not initiated by its leadership.
“The SDP has plans, and we are looking at various options. And we realise that at the end of the options, we will need a political party that is viable,” Adebayo added.
This is not the first time Adebayo has warned against attempts to redirect the SDP’s focus. In April, he cautioned that El-Rufai and other opposition figures who recently joined the party would not be permitted to hijack its structure for personal battles against President Tinubu.
