Barely 72 hours after the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), scores of his supporters armed with various placards on Wednesday stormed the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja and demanded the immediate removal of the National Secretary of the party, Dr Olu Agunloye, over alleged massive fraud.
Some of the placards brandished by the protesters at the SDP headquarters read: ‘Clear your name or resign: Dr Agunloye, face your EFCC cases and stop embarrassing SDP!’ ‘Don’t destroy SDP! Dr Agunloye’s EFCC case is destroying SDP! Resign now and give us a chance,’ and ‘Save SDP’s legacy! Dr Agunloye must resign immediately! We demand change for a better future!’
Multiple sources at the National Secretariat of the party confirmed that the protesters were supporters of Nasir El-Rufai, who wanted Agunloye out to pave the way for another person very close to the former Kaduna State Governor.
It was gathered that Dr Agunloye was reportedly smuggled out for safety while the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, was yet to report for office while the protest lasted. He later came around by 2:30 pm and is currently having an emergency meeting with other party officials on the development.
It was gathered that Dr Agunloye had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over an alleged plot to pressure him into resigning.
It was also gathered that SDP members loyal to El-Rufai were actively pushing for Agunloye’s resignation.
El-Rufai officially resigned from the APC on Monday and announced his move to the SDP. He has also directed his political allies and supporters to join him in the new party.
The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) cited a growing disconnect between his personal values and the APC’s current direction as the key reason for his defection.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, accused the party’s current leadership of abandoning the progressive ideals that guided its formation in 2013.
He claimed that the party had been taken over by individuals who disregarded internal democracy and treated members with contempt.
He added that despite repeatedly voicing his concerns about the party’s decline, both privately and publicly, his warnings were ignored.
“On my part, I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the capricious trajectory of the party. Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish,” he said.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna from 2015 to 2023, said he had hoped that the APC would remain committed to the principles of good governance, democracy, and development.
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