A coalition of youths within Nigeria’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) has strongly rejected the defection of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, alleging he aims to hijack the party for his own political agenda.
Recall that El-Rufai, who formally resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier this week, joined the SDP amid ongoing political realignments.
However, his move has sparked controversy, particularly among the SDP Youths and Supporters Coalition, which insists that his defection threatens the party’s democratic principles.
In a statement released on Friday, the coalition, led by its president, Comrade Abdulsamad Bello, described El-Rufai as “unfit and morally unqualified” to be part of the party.
The group cited his tenure as governor, which they claimed was marked by authoritarianism and a disregard for democratic values.
“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 stated.
The group also condemned what it called a “clandestine deal” between the party leadership and El-Rufai, warning that his presence could destabilize the SDP.
“El-Rufai has never believed in democracy. His history of suppressing opposition voices, sidelining party members, and enforcing his will through coercion is well known,” Bello added.
The former governor’s defection has already caused unrest within the party. On Wednesday, his supporters staged a protest at the SDP national headquarters in Abuja, calling for the resignation of the party’s National Secretary, Olu Agunloye.
The youth coalition claims this is evidence of El-Rufai’s attempts to assert control over the party’s leadership.
“Just days after joining, he is already demanding the removal of key figures in our party’s leadership. This is a clear sign of his desperation to control the SDP and mold it in his own image,” the statement read.
The group further accused El-Rufai of using the SDP as a platform for his personal ambitions following his fallout with the APC and President Bola Tinubu.
“El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC and his calculated entry into the SDP is nothing but a desperate attempt to reinvent himself politically. The same man who once dismissed opposition leaders as irrelevant is now seeking refuge in their midst,” Bello alleged.
The youth coalition has called on party members to resist what they termed a “backdoor takeover,” vowing to oppose any attempt to mortgage the party’s future for personal interests.
The SDP leadership has yet to officially respond to the coalition’s statement.
