Peter Obi, El-Rufai meet at Cambridge conference

In an unexpected political moment abroad, Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and Nasir El-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna State, met in the United States during the 11th Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference held at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge.

The conference, which brings together African leaders, scholars, and influencers to discuss development and transformation across the continent, featured El-Rufai as one of its speakers.

Obi’s presence at the event, though not officially listed as a speaker, signaled his continued engagement in global conversations around governance and leadership.

The brief encounter between the two high-profile political figures—often viewed as ideological opposites—has sparked speculation and interest among political watchers, especially considering Nigeria’s evolving political landscape ahead of 2027.

El-Rufai, who has recently switched political allegiance from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), is widely viewed as a close political associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Alongside Obi and Atiku, El-Rufai took part in announcing the creation of a new opposition alliance, which is positioning itself to challenge the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The coalition, according to speculation, is expected to adopt the SDP as its political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.

El-Rufai has been labeled in some quarters as Atiku’s potential placeholder within the SDP structure.