Former Jigawa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Sule Lamido, has dismissed an invitation from ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai, who recently left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the SDP, made the appeal during an interview with BBC Hausa. While he did not mention Lamido directly, he urged key opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola, to consider joining him in the SDP.
However, in a separate BBC Hausa interview on Sunday, Lamido firmly rejected the idea, calling it an insult. He stated that the PDP, which he played a key role in building, was the same party that gave El-Rufai his political platform.
“The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai. You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP,” Lamido said.
The former governor also questioned El-Rufai’s reasons for leaving the APC and joining the SDP. He pointed out contradictions in El-Rufai’s statements, recalling that the former Kaduna governor had previously criticized the lack of mature leadership 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 noted.
Lamido made it clear that he remains loyal to the PDP and sees no reason to leave. He recalled that even when the APC was formed in 2014, he chose to stay in the PDP.
“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 approach, saying true leadership requires patience, vision, and a commitment to national unity.
“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole,” Lamido said.
He urged El-Rufai to put patriotism first rather than acting out of anger or personal grudges.
“What should be done is to put patriotism first, instead of showing anger towards someone,” he added.
