The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has raised concerns about plans to suppress opposition leaders in Nigeria, identifying these actions as intimidation tactics aimed at curtailing the party’s growing influence. The SDP warns that such tactics will not deter defections from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary of The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba he said information reaching the SDP indicates that the APC is worried about the party’s increasing momentum. Consequently, the APC intends to utilize its governmental power to fabricate criminal charges against members of the SDP, with Malam Nasir El-Rufai in SDP being a primary target. Reports suggest that the government is set to file multiple charges against El-Rufai in Abuja and Kaduna in the near future. In a concerning move, federal agencies have reportedly been instructed to prevent him from leaving the country.
Further complicating the situation in Kaduna, the state government under Governor Uba Sani is allegedly employing similar oppressive strategies against opposition figures. One notable case involves the detention of SDP state leader Ja’afaru Sani, who has reportedly been taken by the police unit Operation Fushin Kada, formerly established to safeguard citizens’ rights but now seemingly used to intimidate and silence political opponents. Ja’afaru Sani appeared before a magistrate, where an order was obtained to remand him in custody under dubious allegations.
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The situation draws parallels to the previous remand of another SDP member, Bashir Saidu, under similar circumstances in December 2024, where political motivations overshadowed legal justifications. Such tactics echo a troubling trend in which the APC appears willing to misuse law enforcement and the judiciary to suppress dissent effectively.
The SDP expresses deep discontent with these blatant, undemocratic practices occurring in a democracy that has aspired to progress over the past 25 years. The party emphasizes that a legitimate government should foster a competitive political environment through the exchange of ideas and improved governance rather than through cowardly persecution reminiscent of tyrannical regimes.
The SDP urges all Nigerians to resist these oppressive tactics and advocate for a political landscape characterized by dialogue and democratic integrity. The party highlights that the APC’s current position of power is rooted in a history where they were not similarly targeted during their opposition years. Had previous governments sought to imprison them and burden them with excessive legal accusations, the APC’s rise might have been implausible.
In a broader context, the SDP draws parallels with international democratic practices, noting that even in the USA, former President Donald Trump faced significant challenges from political establishments but ultimately remained popular and was re-elected.
The consistent targeting of the SDP and its members, which includes El-Rufai in SDP, only serves to galvanize the party’s standing as a beacon of hope for constructive change and improved living conditions for all Nigerians.
