The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is embroiled in internal conflict as former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, alongside allies Abubakar Malami and Hamza Al-Mustapha, seek to overhaul the party’s structure and identity.
Sources reveal that El-Rufai, Malami, and Al-Mustapha aim to change the party’s name, logo, and constitution, distancing themselves from the party’s socialist ideology and historical connection to Moshood Abiola (MKO), the winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election.
This move has sparked resistance from party loyalists, who see this as an attempt to erase the party’s ideological roots and historical significance. The SDP’s connection to Abiola’s legacy is a sensitive topic, given the events surrounding the annulled election and Abiola’s subsequent imprisonment.
El-Rufai’s membership in the SDP has also been called into question, as party officials claim he did not follow proper registration procedures. Instead, he submitted his resignation letter from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP national secretariat and declared his membership.
The internal power struggle within the SDP raises concerns about the party’s future direction and its ability to maintain its historical identity.
