Galadima Downplays SDP Defections Calls Party an APC Branch
Alhaji Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has dismissed the wave of defections to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), claiming that only members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are moving to the party.
Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Galadima stated that the SDP is merely an extension of the ruling APC. He argued that the recent political shifts were not surprising, as those leaving the APC for the SDP were already part of the same political structure.
His remarks follow former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s call for opposition leaders to unite under the SDP ahead of the 2027 elections. Since joining the party in early March, El-Rufai has been urging opposition figures, including Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, and former APC ally Rauf Aregbesola, to join forces against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
However, former Jigawa State Governor and PDP stalwart Sule Lamido has rejected El-Rufai’s invitation, calling it an insult. In a BBC Hausa interview, Lamido argued that the PDP laid the foundation for El-Rufai’s political career and questioned his motives for switching parties.
While defection talks continue, Galadima remains adamant that the SDP is not a true opposition force but a faction of the APC, making the ongoing political realignments a mere internal restructuring within the ruling party.
