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Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, met in the United Kingdom at the 11th Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference (ATC), which is currently taking place at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge.
El-Rufai was among the speakers at the high-profile event, which draws African political leaders, academics, and changemakers from around the globe to discuss issues affecting the continent.
The encounter between the two high-ranking political figures, who come from rival camps, stirred conversation online after photos of them in deep conversation emerged.
Obi, who ran under the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential elections, has maintained a strong base of youth and urban support post-election.
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El-Rufai, on the other hand, recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), further fuelling speculation about a shifting political alliance ahead of 2027.
Though details of their conversation were not made public, the timing of their meeting is significant. El-Rufai is believed to be aligning politically with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who recently hinted at forming a broad opposition coalition to challenge the APC in the next general election.
Their public meeting, although brief, is sure to add to the political intrigue as various players begin realignments ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
Observers are already watching to see if these unexpected moments could signal future collaborations, or simply two heavyweights exchanging polite words abroad.
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ALSO READ: 2027: El-Rufai backs Malami’s Kebbi guber bid under SDP