A youth faction within Nigeria’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) has strongly opposed the recent defection of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, arguing that his past actions demonstrate a pattern of anti-democratic behavior and a lack of commitment to inclusivity.
El-Rufai, who had previously criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and engaged in discussions with opposition figures, officially switched to the SDP earlier this week.
However, his defection has triggered backlash from certain party members, particularly the SDP Youths and Supporters Coalition.
In a statement released on Friday, the coalition’s president, Comrade Abdulsamad Bello, condemned El-Rufai’s membership, asserting that he is “unfit and morally unqualified” to join the party due to what they described as his undemocratic track record during his time in office.
“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 said.
The coalition also condemned the party’s leadership, accusing it of striking a “clandestine deal” to facilitate El-Rufai’s defection. They warned that his inclusion could create instability within 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.
“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.”
Tensions have already risen following the former governor’s entry into the party. On Wednesday, his supporters staged a protest at the SDP’s national headquarters in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the party’s national secretary, Olu Agunloye.
The youth coalition cited this development as proof of El-Rufai’s alleged attempt to take control of the party’s leadership.
“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 added.
The group alleged that El-Rufai is exploiting the SDP as a vehicle for his personal political ambitions, especially following his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu and the APC.
“El-Rufai’s resignation from the APC and his calculated entry into the SDP is nothing but a desperate attempt to reinvent himself politically,” Bello added.
“The same man who once insulted opposition leaders and dismissed them as irrelevant is now seeking refuge in their midst. His hypocrisy knows no bounds.”
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