By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
A youth coalition within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has strongly rejected the defection of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of attempting to hijack the party for personal political gain.
El-Rufai, who recently resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), formally joined the SDP earlier this week after months of speculation and meetings with opposition figures. However, his defection has been met with resistance, particularly from the SDP Youths and Supporters Coalition.
In a statement obtained by The Merit Newspaper on Friday, the coalition’s president, Comrade Abdulsamad Bello, described El-Rufai as “unfit and morally unqualified” to be a member of the SDP, citing his past record as Kaduna governor.
“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 youth group also criticized the SDP leadership for allowing El-Rufai into the party, alleging that his presence poses a threat to the party’s internal stability.
“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. It is shocking that the leadership of our party would allow itself to be infiltrated by someone whose tenure in office was marked by impunity, authoritarianism, and disregard for democratic values,” Bello added.
Tensions have already surfaced within the party following El-Rufai’s defection. On Wednesday, his supporters staged a protest at the SDP national headquarters in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the party’s national secretary, Olu Agunloye.
According to the youth coalition, this is a clear sign of El-Rufai’s intent to seize control of the party.
“Barely days after joining our party, El-Rufai is already pushing for a leadership change. He is demanding that Olu Agunloye resigns, even when the party has its own internal mechanisms for handling such matters. This is a clear sign of his desperation to control the SDP and mould it in his own image,” the statement read.
The coalition further alleged that El-Rufai’s move to the SDP was a calculated political maneuver aimed at reinventing his political career, especially after his recent fallout with the APC and President Bola Tinubu.
“El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC and his sudden interest in the SDP is nothing but a desperate attempt to reposition himself ahead of the 2027 elections. This is the same man who once dismissed opposition leaders as irrelevant, and now he seeks refuge among them. His hypocrisy knows no bounds,” Bello said.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai has defended his defection, claiming that it was approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, his move has been met with mixed reactions within the political space. Some, including key political figures like Mallam Salihu Lukman, a strategist in a proposed opposition coalition, have described his defection as premature.
As the controversy unfolds, the SDP leadership has yet to issue an official response to the concerns raised by its youth coalition. However, political analysts suggest that El-Rufai’s defection could trigger further internal conflicts within the party, especially with the 2027 general elections on the horizon.
The Merit Newspaper will continue to monitor developments within the SDP and provide updates as the situation unfolds.
