Photo: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Peter Obi of the NNPP and LP
A faction of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by Chief Wole Adesina has raised serious concerns over what it described as two disturbing developments threatening the party’s unity and constitutional integrity.
It would be recalled that the party has emerged as a beautiful bride for opposition politicians, who are cobbling together a coalition of anti-APC and anti-Tinubu forces to dislodge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2025.
In a statement released on Monday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Alfa Mohammed, the group condemned the growing influx of aggrieved politicians allegedly forming a coalition aimed at removing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu without offering a viable or clearly defined alternative agenda for Nigeria’s future.
Mohammed noted that the coalition’s objective—described as an attempt to “send President Tinubu back to Lagos”—lacks a concrete roadmap for national development and transformation.
He warned that the SDP would not allow itself to be used as a political vehicle for destabilising the current administration or undermining the democratic mandate delivered by Nigerian voters during the 2023 general elections.
According to him, the party is not for sale or lease and will remain committed to constructive engagement with the federal government while holding it accountable through democratic means.
The Adesina-led faction also warned of an alleged internal plot to unlawfully replace constitutionally recognised state executives of the SDP. The group accused a rival faction of collaborating with the anti-Tinubu coalition to impose loyalists across party structures, describing the move as illegal and unconstitutional.
Mohammed called on all SDP leaders across the country to resist any attempt to usurp their authority and to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities, urging members to stay calm as legal efforts to reclaim full recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continue.
Referencing a similar episode in 2019, the committee recalled how defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Prof. Jerry Gana, attempted to take control of the party—an action that led to the resignation of then-SDP National Chairman Chief Olu Falae and sparked a series of ongoing legal battles.
The faction warned that history must not be allowed to repeat itself and emphasised the need to protect the party’s democratic foundations.
Despite the political turbulence, the SDP faction reiterated that its doors remain open to new members who are genuinely committed to the party’s ideals and national development. However, it stressed that the party would not tolerate opportunistic alliances or internal sabotage designed to derail its objectives or destabilise Nigeria’s political environment.
