Forrmer Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has denied reports suggesting he is planning to leave the 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, calling them misleading.
“Ignore the false reports! Atiku Abubakar has not joined and has no plans to join the SDP. This is nothing but baseless speculation aimed at causing confusion,” Shehu wrote.
The rumors surfaced following reports of Atiku’s increasing political interactions with former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Some insiders speculated that both politicians and their allies might be exploring new political alliances due to ongoing challenges within their respective parties.
El-Rufai, who has recently distanced himself from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He previously stated that while he might leave the APC if it deviates from its original vision, joining the PDP is not an option.
This situation has fueled speculation that the SDP could emerge as a possible platform for both Atiku and El-Rufai, especially as the PDP continues to struggle with internal leadership issues.