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| Image: ex-Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido |
By Muhammad Salisu
Former Jigawa State Governor and PDP chieftain, Sule Lamido has dismissed ex- Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai's call for opposition leaders to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Recalls that, as the 2027 elections approach, the battle for opposition leadership is heating up. Lamido's rejection of El-Rufai's call is a significant development in this battle.
El-Rufai, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP, had extended an invitation to strong opposition leaders to join him in his new party.
In his special interview with BBC Hausa after his exit from APC, Nasir El-Rufai although he did not mention the name of Sule Lamido but called on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar former Vice President, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola and all the opposition leaders to follow him to his new SDP Party.
Lamido, a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described El-Rufai's call as an insult, saying the PDP is the party that gave birth to El-Rufai's political career. "The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to Elrufa'i," Lamido said in a recent interview with the BBC Hausa service on Sunday.
"You're not enough to make us leave the PDP," Sule Lamido fired back in response to his counterpart Elrufai's call.
Lamido also criticized El-Rufai's claim that he is one of the "adults" in Nigerian politics. "He once said that there are no adults in Nigeria in politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP," Lamido said.
The former governor also questioned El-Rufai's motives for defecting from the APC to the SDP. "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 said.
Lamido emphasized that he will not leave the PDP, saying that the party has not committed any crime. "If I was going to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed," he said.
The former governor also criticized El-Rufai's leadership style, saying that leadership is not about anger or selfish ambition. "Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole," Lamido said.
Also, Dr. Sule Lamido advised El-Rufai to put patriotism first instead of showing anger towards others, saying, "What should be done is to put patriotism first, instead of showing anger towards someone."
The former governor also expressed his disappointment with El-Rufai's decision to join the SDP. "I did not see the fault of my PDP party now," Lamido echoed.
"The PDP has been working to rebuild its strength after losing the 2015 presidential election," he added.
Lamido's rejection of El-Rufai's call is a significant blow to the SDP's efforts to attract opposition leaders. The SDP has been trying to position itself as a viable alternative to the APC and the PDP.
Since El-Rufai's defection from APC to the SDP last week, political analysts across the country have been commenting and see the development as a major coup for the party.
However, Lamido's rejection of El-Rufai's call suggests that the SDP still has a long way to go in attracting opposition leaders.
The APC, on the other hand, has been facing internal crises, with many of its leaders defecting to other parties. El-Rufai's defection to the SDP is the latest blow to the party.
Political analysts hinted that the SDP will need to work harder to attract opposition leaders if it wants to become a viable alternative to the APC and the PDP.
Picture: Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.
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