SDP Group Warns Against Imposing El-Rufai As Party Leader, Condemns Backdoor Takeover Attempts
In a statement signed by the SDP Integrity Group National Coordinator, Abdullahi Muhammad Saleh, and Secretary, James Allen Ettah, the group described the announcement from the party’s national secretariat as “vexatious and ill-advised.”
The Integrity Group of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has strongly rejected reports suggesting that former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai, has been appointed as the new leader of the party.
In a statement signed by the SDP Integrity Group National Coordinator, Abdullahi Muhammad Saleh, and Secretary, James Allen Ettah, the group described the announcement from the party’s national secretariat as “vexatious and ill-advised.”
The group condemned the press release from the SDP national secretariat, which they said wrongly portrayed El-Rufai, who recently joined the party, as its new leader. They described the move as “mendacious, preposterous, and a big slap on the faces of our noble and respected leaders” who have worked tirelessly to build the party over the past three years.
The group condemned the “unacceptable” narrative that a “joiner of less than one week has become leader of the party”.
It said, “Whatever inducement or agenda that informed that unwholesome game is dead on arrival, as the majority of the party members across the country who stand for integrity will not fold their hands and watch the SDP to be turned into a tool for personal aggrandisement, or for it to be used to wage a self-serving war of attrition, rather than strengthening it as a credible alternative platform to reclaim Nigeria and to serve as a formidable vehicle to take Nigeria to the promised land.”
While welcoming El-Rufai and other new members to the party, the group maintained that the SDP must remain focused on strengthening itself as a credible opposition platform.
They warned against any attempt to impose a “transactional orientation” that could compromise the party’s integrity and credibility.
The statement further noted that the party would not serve as a refuge for individuals seeking to escape accountability for past misdeeds.
“The SDP is not a place where anyone haunted by their past will find a safe haven to shield them from justice. The party, as a tradition, does not interfere in any corruption charges or investigations involving its members,” the group said.
Reaffirming their commitment to protecting the party’s founding principles, the group stated that any attempt to impose El-Rufai as party leader would be met with resistance.
“We are poised to mobilize like-minded members across the party structures to reject and resist any deliberate attempt to manipulate Mallam El-Rufai to national relevance as leader of the SDP.”
The group also expressed concerns about individuals with controversial pasts joining the party, stating that the SDP is not a “safe haven” for those seeking to evade justice.
They reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the rule of law and its tradition of non-interference in legal matters involving its members.
The group also warned El-Rufai to respect the party’s established culture and discipline or risk a short-lived stay in the SDP.
“If he fails to respect the noble traditions of the political family he has newly joined, his marriage with the SDP may be short-lived,” the statement added.
The Integrity Group called on the National Working Committee (NWC) to uphold the party’s values and remain accountable to the party’s broader membership rather than to any individual seeking political relevance.
“The SDP is not for sale,” the statement concluded. “We will continue to organize and work to protect and promote the founding ideology of the party.”
Tensions within the SDP escalated recently as supporters of El-Rufai staged a protest at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
On Wednesday, March 12, SaharaReporters reported that a crowd of pro-El-Rufai had stormed the SDP national headquarters, demanding the removal of the party’s national secretary, Olu Agunloye.
The protesters called for the removal or resignation of Agunloye as the party’s national secretary over allegations of fraud.
The demonstration was reportedly sparked by the growing internal struggle over the party’s leadership.
Chanting slogans and carrying placards with messages such as ‘Agunloye must resign immediately!’ and ‘We demand change for a better future!’ the protesters demanded that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) take decisive action to address the alleged leadership crisis.
The protest reflects the deepening divisions within the SDP since El-Rufai’s recent defection to the party.
While some factions see him as a strategic asset capable of revitalizing the party’s electoral prospects, others—particularly the SDP Integrity Group—have raised concerns about his political baggage and questioned the motives behind his sudden rise to prominence within the party.
