ANALYSIS: Galadima’s SDP-APC Claims Reveal Deeper Crisis in Nigerian Opposition Politics
The recent remarks by NNPP chieftain Buba Galadima dismissing the Social Democratic Party as merely “a branch of the APC” warrant critical examination beyond their provocative surface value.
Galadima’s characterization of the SDP as an APC offshoot represents a significant oversimplification of Nigeria’s complex political landscape. While some APC defectors have indeed joined the SDP—most notably former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai—this movement reflects deeper fractures within the ruling party rather than evidence of coordination between the two parties.
More telling is Galadima’s criticism of Abdul-Azeez “Jandor” Adediran’s return to the APC fold. His claim that Jandor “won the election” but had it “taken away from him” is presented without substantiation, raising questions about the evidentiary standards employed in Nigerian political discourse.
The irony of Galadima’s call for “opposition of principles” while simultaneously criticizing the legitimacy of a competing opposition party reveals the profound contradictions that continue to undermine effective challenges to the ruling party. This tendency toward opposition fragmentation—rather than coalition-building—has repeatedly benefited the APC in recent electoral cycles.
Galadima’s insistence that the NNPP will not enter coalitions “just to gain power” positions his party as principled but potentially politically ineffective. This stance contrasts sharply with the pragmatic approach of El-Rufai, who is actively building a coalition to challenge President Tinubu in 2027.
The fundamental question left unexplored is whether Nigeria’s opposition parties can overcome their ideological and personal differences to present a viable alternative to the ruling party—or whether they will continue to splinter, ensuring the APC’s continued dominance through the politics of division rather than the strength of its governance record.
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ANALYSIS: Galadima’s SDP-APC Claims Reveal Deeper Crisis in Nigerian Opposition Politics