A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has dismissed the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as nothing more than an extension of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise Television on Tuesday, Galadima questioned the party’s independence, suggesting that its ranks were filled with defectors from the APC rather than a diverse coalition of political actors.
“The SDP is a branch of the APC. It was those APC people that moved to what you now call SDP. How many people from other parties have moved to the SDP? That is the question the people or the media should ask. It is not out of place. You are in Lagos, this is the character of Lagos; to decimate opposition,” he said.
Galadima’s remarks come in the wake of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, defecting from the APC to the SDP. El-Rufai has reportedly been mobilizing politicians to join him in what many believe is a bid to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The NNPP chieftain also took a swipe at opposition politicians who defect back to the APC after contesting elections, particularly citing the case of Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, the former Lagos PDP governorship candidate who rejoined the APC on Monday.
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“Look at what Jandor has done. Look at the support the people of Lagos have given Jandor. In fact, I will say that he won the election. It was taken away from him. But look at him, he just backpedalled and went back to the APC. How are we going to do opposition? We should do opposition of principles, even if you’re alone, you should stand on your own principles,”* Galadima stated.
Despite the ongoing shifts in the political landscape, Galadima emphasized that the NNPP would not enter coalitions just to gain power but would remain rooted in its ideology.
“We are a party of ideology. We are a party of principle. We don’t just go into a coalition for the sake of it because we want power at all costs. We are content with the platform we have. One day, we can grow this party and win the national election,” he declared.
As Nigeria’s political realignment continues, Galadima’s statements highlight the deepening divide among opposition figures and the challenges facing those seeking to counter the dominance of the APC.