Fresh tensions are emerging within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada of Nasarawa West has signaled his imminent departure, citing “irreconcilable differences” with former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai—now a new but polarizing entrant into the party.
Speaking in Keffi on Sunday, Wadada minced no words about his discomfort with El-Rufai’s growing influence in the SDP.
“Even though Malam El-Rufai is my elder brother, I don’t think I can stay with him in the SDP because he is not a principled politician,” he stated.
The remarks expose a deeper undercurrent of friction in the party, where old loyalties and new ambitions are now clashing. Wadada, a former APC stalwart who joined the SDP before the 2023 general elections, appears uneasy with El-Rufai’s presence—especially given the former governor’s high-stakes, high-profile political maneuvers.
Wadada pointed to El-Rufai’s well-documented role in supporting Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergence as APC’s flagbearer in 2022, and questioned the sincerity behind his recent political pivot.
“What changed in President Tinubu between the time El-Rufai supported him and now that he has defected to the SDP?” Wadada asked pointedly.
For many observers, the senator’s comments reflect a broader anxiety among established SDP members, who view El-Rufai’s entry as disruptive and potentially destabilizing—especially as he reportedly positions himself for greater influence within the party.
Wadada contrasted El-Rufai’s actions with what he described as true loyalty and principle, citing Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s continued allegiance to the APC, even after his preferred presidential candidate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, lost out at the primaries.
“That’s the kind of politics I respect—principled, not opportunistic,” he emphasized.
Beyond internal party politics, Wadada weighed in on national issues, particularly the aftermath of fuel subsidy removal. While acknowledging the hardship it has caused, he praised Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule for using the additional funds to drive visible development.
“In Nasarawa State, the impact of the oil subsidy funds is visible everywhere—even to the most gullible and the blind,” he remarked.
Senator Wadada’s likely exit may not just be about clashing ideologies—it also raises questions about power realignments within the SDP and what role he hopes to play in the evolving political equation ahead of 2027.
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