KEY POINTS

• Nasir El-Rufai’s invitation for Sule Lamido to join the SDP received an absolute rejection from the politician who classified it as an insult.
• Lamido expressed his full dedication to the PDP by stating that he would have merged with another party during 2014 if defection was on his mind.
• Lamido evaluated El-Rufai’s leadership mannerisms then urged citizens to put national pride first above individual differences.

Jigawa State former governor Sule Lamido dismissed Social Democratic Party (SDP) recruitment efforts from Nasir El-Rufai when he approached opposition leaders to join.

In a BBC Hausa interview El-Rufai made his invitation to opposition leaders to join the SDP after his move from the APC. During his invitation of opposition leaders to join the SDP he specifically named Atiku Abubakar along with Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi and Rauf Aregbesola without including Lamido.

Lamido’s response to El-Rufai’s call

During his BBC Hausa interview on Sunday March 16 2025 Lamido brandished El-Rufai’s invitation as an insult since the PDP had previously transformed El-Rufai into the political figure he is today.

El-Rufai received his political start from the PDP which became his very first party formation. You do not possess enough power to push the PDP members to move away from the party according to Lamido.

The former governor of Kaduna State stated during his interview that El-Rufai made controversial remarks about young adults in Nigerian politics but now expects us to join his SDP.

The public debates El-Rufai’s political switch to his leadership method

Lamido expressed doubt about El-Rufai’s reasons to join the APC opposition after he left the administration party as well as criticized his leadership methods.

Leadership requires patience and visionary foresight to create peaceful conditions both for followers and the entire nation according to Lamido.

Earlier in 2014 when the APC was established he clarified that he would have defected from PDP then instead. Nowadays he fully endorses his PDP loyalty.

Lamido declared that he would have departed from the PDP at the time of APC foundation in 2014 if he had plans to leave.

Lamido rejects El-Rufai’s SDP invitation, patriotism over personal interests

He asked El-Rufai to set down his political grievances in favor of national loyalty.

Lamido advocated that national loyalty should always take precedence while other individuals do not require public censure.

Post-2015 presidential defeat the PDP continues to work on building strength to rise as a prominent force in Nigerian politics he explained.

The PDP committed itself to recovery since its defeat during the 2015 presidential election according to Lamido.