Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed rumours that he is planning to leave his party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Reacting to the speculation, Atiku’s special adviser on broadcast media, Abdulrasheed Shehu, took to X (formerly Twitter) to debunk the claims.
“Disregard the misinformation! Atiku Abubakar has neither joined nor is joining the SDP. This baseless speculation is a deliberate attempt to mislead,” Shehu wrote.
The rumours gained traction amid reports of Atiku’s growing political ties with former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai. Some sources suggested that both politicians, along with their allies, might be preparing to realign politically in response to ongoing challenges within their parties.
El-Rufai, who has recently fallen out of favour with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, openly expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He stated that if the APC strays too far from the founding principles that shaped it, he may consider leaving—but certainly not for the PDP.
This stance has fueled speculation that the SDP could become a new political home for both Atiku and El-Rufai, especially as the PDP continues to struggle with internal leadership crises.