Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, recently visited two prominent figures in Lagos—former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and Pastor Tunde Bakare. His media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, shared the news on social media.

This visit came shortly after El-Rufai met with former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna. Reports suggest he discussed his future political plans with Buhari.

There have been growing speculations about El-Rufai’s next steps, especially as some of his associates in Kaduna have left the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This has fueled rumors that he may also switch parties.

His meeting with Aregbesola is significant because Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, recently left the APC due to internal party conflicts. Pastor Tunde Bakare, on the other hand, is a well-known political figure and former APC presidential aspirant.

After his trip to Lagos, El-Rufai also visited former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Abuja. Atiku shared details of their meeting on social media, mentioning that he hosted El-Rufai, former Adamawa governor Jibrilla Bindow, and another political figure, Musa Halilu, during an Iftar dinner.

Political analysts believe these meetings could be part of a broader strategy to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, Atiku has dismissed rumors that he plans to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He clarified that his recent push for a coalition of opposition parties is not about switching parties but about uniting political forces against the APC.

Atiku, who was the PDP’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election, believes a strong opposition is necessary to counter the APC, which he blames for Nigeria’s current economic struggles. His media office stated that claims of him leaving the PDP are false and misleading.

As political activities heat up ahead of 2027, El-Rufai’s meetings and Atiku’s push for a coalition indicate that major political realignments may be on the way.