The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Gabam, has expressed doubts about President Bola Tinubu’s ability to survive in office following the next election in 2027.

Gabam made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday monitored by 9News Nigeria.

Gabam’s comments come on the heels of a recent meeting with Nasir El-Rufai, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The SDP chairman defended his party’s decision to hold talks with El-Rufai, saying they have done nothing wrong.

“Why the dust about Malam Nasir El-Rufai? They say he is not significant, he’s nothing. Why the worry about El-Rufai? Why the worry about Segun Sowunmi? If they are important, why won’t the government give them the relevant roles they need to play to enhance the efficiency of the government?” he asked.

Gabam explained that the meeting with El-Rufai was part of the SDP’s efforts to strategically review the situation of the country.

He said, “The meeting was to strategically review the situation of the country in 2024 as a party. We are an opposition party with elected members in the parliament, state assemblies, and in the local governments. So, we owe it a duty as a party to look at areas where things are not going right and open the space of the party and reach out to a lot of people.

“It’s the same things APC did when PDP was misbehaving; they re-organised, they regrouped, they relaunched a merger that led to the defeat of the PDP.

“So, we are not doing anything wrong. I don’t know why the brouhaha about it as if this is the first time Nasir El-Rufai visited or Segun Sowunmi who happens to be a friend. We’ve been in this struggle for a better Nigeria, not to undermine Nigeria.”

The SDP chairman also took a swipe at President Tinubu’s cabinet, saying the ministers lack the capacity to drive the president’s vision. He lamented the economic hardship facing Nigeria, saying that no president has ever survived the following election facing issues in the first two years.

“No president that was elected to serve four years and has issues in two years can survive. Jonathan’s opposition started within two years – he lost election,” Gabam said.

Goodluck Jonathan served as acting president from February 2010 to May 2010, following the illness of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then as president from May 2010 to May 29, 2015. He lost the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari.

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