The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a crackdown on opposition figures, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other party members.
READ ALSO: El-Rufai is politically irrelevant – Shehu Sani
Daily News 24 reports that the SDP disclosed this information in a statement on Friday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba. The party alleged that the APC is using federal and state institutions to suppress opposition voices.
It claimed that multiple charges are being prepared against El-Rufai in both Abuja and Kaduna as part of a deliberate effort to weaken the SDP’s growing influence. It further alleged that security agencies have been instructed to prevent El-Rufai from leaving the country.
The SDP also pointed to the case of Ja’afaru Sani, one of its key leaders, who was allegedly arrested under the directive of the APC-led government. According to the party, security operatives from the police unit Operation Fushin Kada, originally meant to maintain law and order, were used to detain Sani on what it described as politically motivated charges. The party claimed he was taken before a magistrate as part of a plan to keep him in detention.
Recalling a similar case, the SDP said that in December 2024, Bashir Saidu, another opposition member, was arrested and imprisoned for weeks under questionable circumstances. The party warned that such tactics are being used to instill fear in political opponents rather than foster democratic engagement.
The SDP called on Nigerians to resist what it described as the APC’s undemocratic clampdown on opposition figures. It urged the ruling party to abandon intimidation tactics and embrace fair political competition based on ideas and performance.
