A coalition of youths within Nigeria’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) has strongly opposed the defection of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, warning that his presence threatens the party’s democratic values and stability.
El-Rufai, who officially joined the SDP earlier this week after severing ties with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has faced backlash from the SDP Youths and Supporters Coalition, which described his defection as a “dangerous infiltration.”
In a statement on Friday, the group’s president, Comrade Abdulsamad Bello, denounced El-Rufai’s membership, calling him “unfit and morally unqualified” to be part of the party.
“We reject El-Rufai’s entrance into our party in its entirety. He has come not as a reformer but as an undertaker, seeking to bury the SDP before it even has the chance to grow,” Bello declared.
The coalition accused the party leadership of engaging in a “clandestine deal” to facilitate El-Rufai’s defection, warning that his history of “authoritarianism and suppression of opposition voices” makes him unworthy of a leadership role within the party.
The controversy has already triggered tensions within the SDP. On Wednesday, El-Rufai’s supporters staged a demonstration at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the SDP National Secretary, Olu Agunloye.
The coalition sees this as an early sign of El-Rufai’s alleged agenda to dominate the party.
“Barely days after joining, El-Rufai is already pushing for a leadership change, demanding Agunloye’s resignation. This is a clear sign of his desperation to control the SDP and mould it in his own image,” the statement read.
With the party now facing internal strife, questions remain over how its leadership will navigate the growing opposition to El-Rufai’s presence within its ranks.
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