The Social Democratic Party (SDP), 2023 presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has announced his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election amid the wave of politicians joining the party.
Naijaonpoint reports that Adebayo’s comment follows the defection of former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, to the party after the latter’s open criticisms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following his defection, El-Rufai has been making political moves to woo some politicians to his new party.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Friday, March 14, 2025, Adebayo expressed confidence that regardless of the political stature of politicians defecting to the party, he would be their presidential candidate in the next election.
The SDP chieftain said he is not worried or threatened by the high-profile defectors, adding that every party member knows he will contest the presidency in 2027.
He said, “Let us understand something. I don’t worry about that; everybody who is coming in knows I will run in 2027.”
“Any coward who will feel threatened by people coming to his party can not be president.”
Meanwhile, Nasir El-Rufai, has disclosed that his entry into the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not influenced by former President Muhammadu Buhari, but rather by Pastor Tunde Bakare.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai revealed that Bakare was the one who introduced him to Buhari and persuaded him to join the party.
However, Naijaonpoint reports that the former Governor recently left APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing disillusionment with the party’s direction and leadership.
He criticised APC leaders, alleging that their primary focus was personal gain. According to him, “the government is commercialised, everything has a price tag.”
Expressing further dissatisfaction, he added, “Justice has been kept at bay, those who worked for the party were ignored instead of being compensated. If there is any position or appointment, they give it to a Lagos boy, etc.”