El-Rufai’s Entrant Fuels SDP’s Leadership Crisis

The Social Democratic Party (SDP), previously hailed as the only major opposition party free of post-2023 election crisis, has now plunged into internal strife following the announcement of new appointments into its National Working Committee (NWC).

Last week, SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, issued a statement announcing the appointment of Senator Ugochukwu Uba, Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, and Mr. Hussani Ado Bello into three vacant positions: Deputy National Chairman (South), Deputy National Chairman (North), and National Financial Secretary, respectively.

The move was viewed in some quarters as a strategic restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, it has since ignited a leadership crisis threatening to fracture the party.

Contrary to Aiyenigba’s announcement, the party’s National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, has refuted the claim, insisting no such appointments were made.

Speaking through the Deputy National Secretary, Muhammad Biu, in Abuja on Monday, Gabam described the reports as “unauthorized and false,” stating that the NWC had not convened a constitutional session to make such appointments.

“The National Working Committee has not adopted any resolution on new appointments. The statement circulating is misleading and does not reflect the party’s decision,” Biu said.

He warned against efforts to destabilize the party and called on members to disregard the announcement.

But the party’s National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye, has challenged Gabam’s denial, stating that 11 of the 12 NWC members were present at the May 15 meeting where the appointments were approved — with eight voting in favour.

According to Agunloye, Gabam and two others opposed the move and are now working with former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to undermine the decision.

“Gabam is acting in bad faith. The majority of NWC members voted in favour. He is now crying foul because the outcome didn’t favour him,” Agunloye said.

He further accused El-Rufai of trying to impose his will on the party following his recent defection from the APC.

In a letter dated May 16, 2025, addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Agunloye formally notified the electoral body of the new appointments.

The letter stated: “The NWC met on Thursday, May 15, and appointed the remaining three members of the 15-member committee in line with Article 12.5 of the 2022 Constitution and the mandate of the June 8, 2022 National Convention.”

It emphasized that the appointments would last for four years or until the next national convention.

The escalating conflict places the SDP in the same troubled league as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) — both riddled with factional battles since the 2023 polls.