SDP: NWC members embroiled in major crisis after El-Rufai’s entrant

The recent appointment of three new members into the National Working Committee, NWC, of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has thrown the party into crisis.

Thus, disrobing the party of its self acclaimed adulation as the only opposition party that is crisis free.

The party’s national publicity secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, had in a statement last week, announced that three vacant positions of the Deputy National Chairman (South), Deputy National Chairman (North) and National Financial Secretary, had been filled. The trio of Senator Ugochukwu Ubah, Alhaji Shehu Musa and Bello Ado Hussain were appointed to fill the three vacant positions.

This was seen in some quarters, particularly among close watchers of political developments, as a strategic move to consolidate the party and prepare it for victory ahead of the 2027 general election.

But little did it occur to many that the move would stir the hornet’s nest of crisis that has been waiting in the wings to envelope the party like its counterpart opposition parties.

Aiyenigba, in the statement had noted that the NWC in line with Article 12.5 of the party’s 2022 constitution as amended and following the mandate given to it by the National Convention of the party, filled the vacant positions during a meeting presided over by the party’s national chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam.

However, a few days after the appointment, there appears to be a crack in the party over the information as the national chairman, Gabam, who presided over the meeting, where the appointments were made issued a statement denying that such a thing ever happened.

Gabam made the rebuttal while addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday.

Represented by the party’s deputy national secretary, Muhammad Biu, he said: “The attention of the national leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been drawn to a number of misleading media reports, claiming that three new appointments have been made into the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

“The positions in question are deputy national chairman (North), deputy national chairman (South), and national financial secretary.

“These reports attributed to the SDP’s national publicity secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, alleged that Senator Uba, Dr Abubakar, and Mr Bello had been appointed to the aforementioned roles respectively.

“We wish to categorically state that no such appointments have been made and that the statement in circulation is false, unauthorized, and does not reflect the decisions or procedures of the SDP’s NWC.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the SDP’s NWC has not convened any constitutional session or meeting to fill vacant positions within the committee as reported.

“The National Executive remains committed to due process, internal democracy and the inclusive participation of stakeholders from all geopolitical zones in any future restructuring efforts.

“As the 2027 general elections approach, we are not unaware of the calculated attempts by certain individuals and political rivals to sow discord and weaken the only credible opposition party left standing in Nigeria.

“We urge all Nigerians to disregard the unauthorised reports and remain confident in the integrity and cohesion of the SDP’s leadership.

The alleged meeting of Thursday, May 15, 2025, cited in the reports, did not authorise any appointments, and no resolution of such nature was adopted.

However, as the national publicity secretary and the national chairman dish out conflicting information, the party’s national secretary, Olu Agunloye has equally issued a statement to straighten out the fact.

He said the party’s NWC comprises 12 members, emphasizing that 11 out of the 12 members attended the NWC meeting, where the decision to fill the three vacant positions was taken. He also informed that out of the 11 members that were present, eight voted in favour of the three appointments, leaving three members, including Gabam in opposition.

He alleged that Gabam and two other members of the NWC who lost out, in cahoots with the former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who recently defected to the party from the All Progressives Congress, APC, were the brains behind the current crisis rocking the party.

He alleged that Gabam and two other NWC members, as well as El-Rufail, want to lord their selfish interest over and above the eight other NWC members who voted in favour of the appointment, noting that since their wishes did not prevail, they decided to cause chaos in the party.

He said: “There were 12 NWC members in total but one was absent. Eight out of 11 NWC members present at the meeting voted in favour of the appointments. Gabam and two others who lost out are throwing tantrums together with Nasir El-rufai who amounts to nothing at his ward.”

In his capacity as the national secretary of the party, Agunloye has equally written a letter to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about the appointment of new members into the party’s NWC.

The letter dated May 16, read: “This is to officially inform your office that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party met at the National Secretariat on Thursday, May 15, in a session attended by 11 out of the 12 existing members to appoint the remaining three members of the 15-member National Working Committee as per Article 12.5 of the 2022 Constitution of the SDP as amended and as per the mandate of the June 8, 2022, National Convention.

“The INEC Chairman is hereby formally informed that the National Working Committee has appointed three persons into the NWC as per the provisions of the SDP Constitution as listed below: Senator Ugochukwu Uba, Deputy National Chairman (South); Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, Deputy National Chairman (North); and Mr. Hussani Ado Bello, National Financial Secretary. “Consequently, these appointments are for an initial period of four years or till the next National Convention, whichever comes first and is subject to satisfactory performance.”

As it stands, the development is about to place the party in the mold of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  and the Labour Party, LP, that have been in crisis since after the 2023 general elections.