The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government of orchestrating a political crackdown against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement on Friday, SDP National Publicity Secretary Rufus Aiyenigba alleged that the government is planning to file multiple charges against El-Rufai in Abuja and Kaduna while also preventing him from leaving the country.
“Our sources reveal that the persecution will commence with one of our prominent leaders, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. The government is planning to file multiple charges against him imminently. We have also learned that the Federal Government has instructed its agencies to prevent him from leaving the country,” the statement read.
The SDP claimed that the APC is using state institutions to fabricate charges against opposition figures as part of a broader strategy to suppress dissent and discourage defections from the ruling party.
The party further alleged that the Kaduna State Government, led by Governor Uba Sani, is engaging in similar actions. It claimed that an SDP state leader, Ja’afaru Sani, was recently abducted by security forces and remanded in prison on questionable charges.
“As was done to Bashir Saidu on December 31, 2024, Ja’afaru Sani was remanded by the magistrate for alleged money laundering. This is a matter which is not within the jurisdiction of either a state court or the Nigeria Police,” the party stated.
SDP condemned what it described as an undemocratic use of power, likening the situation to past authoritarian regimes. The party warned that such tactics would only strengthen opposition resolve and called on Nigerians to resist what it sees as a crackdown on democratic freedoms.
The party also drew a comparison to former U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that political persecution does not necessarily diminish a leader’s influence.
“It is instructive to note that even in the USA, an advanced democratic nation, President Donald Trump was severally and severely persecuted and vilified by the political establishment, but all that did not diminish him nor detract from his popularity. He weathered the storm and got re-elected to power,” the statement added.
