El-Rufai, Malami and Al-Mustapha, among other party members, are reportedly perfecting plans to overhaul SDP.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, alongside close allies, is reportedly plotting a sweeping overhaul of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), following their recent defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to sources who spoke with Sahara reporters, El-Rufai is working with Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney General of the Federation, and Hamza Al-Mustapha, the ex-Chief Security Officer of the late military ruler General Sani Abacha, to reshape the party’s identity and ideological direction.
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Insiders claim the trio is uncomfortable with the SDP’s historic ties to the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO), the winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, and believe the party’s current ideology leans too heavily toward socialism.
“El-Rufai, Al-Mustapha, and Malami are pushing to change the party’s name, logo and constitution,” a senior party source revealed.
“They consider the party too socialist and want to distance themselves from MKO Abiola’s legacy, tied to the annulled 1993 election. They don’t want anything to do with MKO Abiola, as he won the 1993 election annulled by Babangida and Co., under the party’s platform.”
The move has reportedly stirred unrest among party faithful, who fear that the proposed changes aim to erase the SDP’s ideological foundation and legacy.
Adding to the controversy is El-Rufai’s alleged failure to follow due process in joining the party. Rather than registering through his ward as mandated by the SDP’s constitution, he is said to have submitted only his APC resignation letter to the national secretariat and declared himself a member.
“El-Rufai did not go to his ward to join the party,” the source said.
“He only presented his resignation letter from the APC to the SDP national secretariat and started announcing his membership, whereas he was supposed to join the party at the ward level.”
Despite not being formally registered, El-Rufai is allegedly taking sweeping actions, including pushing for constitutional amendments and attempting to dissolve the party’s state executive structure in Kaduna.
“Despite not being a bona fide member of the party, he is already proposing changing the name, logo and constitution of the party,” the source added.
“He still went ahead to illegally dissolve and take over the state executive committee of the party. This is illegal.”
The developments have triggered growing tension within the SDP, as long-standing members express resistance to what they perceive as an aggressive attempt to hijack and rebrand the party to suit a new political agenda.
