By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The attempt to use the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as a platform to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections is “dead on arrival,” Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has declared.

Jibrin made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday while welcoming key SDP figures who defected to the APC, including the party’s 2023 Vice Presidential candidate, Engr. Yusuf Buhari; Kano State governorship candidate, Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa; members of the Kano State Working Committee; 38 local government chairmen and secretaries; 13 House of Assembly candidates; and six House of Representatives candidates.

The defection, facilitated by Jibrin, is seen as a major setback for former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who recently joined the SDP and was reportedly mobilising opposition figures ahead of 2027.

Addressing the defectors, Jibrin said the mass exodus from SDP to APC had rendered any attempt to position the party as an alternative for 2027 futile.

“Those moving around, trying to woo people to SDP and hoping it will become a platform to challenge the APC in the next election, should know that their plan is dead on arrival,” Jibrin said.

“People have rejected their invitation. The former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and others have said no. And to make matters worse, those already in SDP are leaving for the APC. The party is going to be empty.

“Today, the Vice Presidential candidate, the governorship candidate of Kano State, and other heavyweights in SDP have joined us. If we had postponed this event to tomorrow, we would have had almost all SDP candidates from across the country joining the APC,” he added.

Jibrin assured the new APC members that they would be treated equally and fairly in the party.

“Everyone in this party is the same. Do not feel that because you are joining today, you are less important than those who have been here for years. You are all valued members,” he said.

APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, while welcoming the defectors, described their move as a transition “from darkness to light.”

Represented by Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, Ganduje emphasised that APC remains a party of inclusion and progress, where every member has equal rights to contest elections and contribute to national development.

In his address, former Kano State Governor, Senator Kabiru Gaya, also hailed the defections, arguing that the SDP had already collapsed before El-Rufai’s arrival.

“The party is dead. The Vice Presidential candidate is here. The governorship candidate is here. All other major stakeholders are here. Today, we are celebrating the burial of that party,” Gaya stated.
Explaining their defection, SDP’s former Vice Presidential candidate, Yusuf Buhari, said they were drawn to the APC by the progress made under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“When this government came into power, there were many challenges, including insecurity and economic instability. President Tinubu introduced painful but necessary reforms. Now, two years later, we are seeing results—foreign exchange is stabilising, prices of goods are dropping, and insecurity is being tackled,” Buhari said.

Similarly, Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa, SDP’s former Kano gubernatorial candidate, said they returned to the APC because of Tinubu’s leadership.

“APC is my family. I was part of its founding. We have returned because Nigeria is now led by someone who understands democracy, has fought for it, and is committed to making the country better—His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Gwagwarwa stated.

He expressed gratitude to the Deputy Senate President for facilitating their defection.