Violence Erupts at SDP Headquarters Amid Leadership Crisis

Tensions boiled over at the national headquarters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Abuja on Tuesday, as armed thugs dressed in black stormed the premises, violently attacking journalists and party personnel. The incident, which shocked onlookers and raised security concerns, took place during a scheduled press briefing at the party’s secretariat.

Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers targeted members of the press, seizing phones and cameras while inflicting physical assaults on several journalists, including a correspondent from our organization. The fracas only subsided after security operatives intervened to restore order.

The outbreak of violence is closely tied to a deepening internal crisis within the party, which stems from the recent suspension of top-ranking national officers over alleged financial misconduct. Among those suspended is the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, alongside National Auditor Nnadi Clarkson and National Youth Leader Chukwuma Uchechukwu.

According to a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, the suspensions were the outcome of a resolution passed by members of the National Working Committee (NWC) after what was described as overwhelming evidence was presented.

The trio was accused of gross financial impropriety, including embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and the unauthorized diversion of party resources running into hundreds of millions of naira.

“The decision followed resolutions made by members of the NWC, where overwhelming evidence was presented linking the suspended officials to a series of unauthorised financial transactions, personal enrichment schemes, and movement of funds from the party’s accounts without the committee’s approval,” Aiyenigba stated.

The situation escalated further when Alhaji Gabam allegedly submitted an unauthorized financial report to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and facilitated the publication of a summary of the party’s accounts in the media. This act reportedly triggered alarm within the party’s leadership and was viewed as a direct breach of protocol.

In response to these developments, the NWC has appointed Dr. Sadiq Abubakar, the Deputy National Chairman (North), to assume the role of Acting National Chairman pending the conclusion of a full internal investigation. Aiyenigba stressed that the party maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption and abuse of office.

Additionally, an interim investigative committee has been established to conduct a comprehensive audit of the party’s financial records.

The committee’s mandate includes probing transactions related to funds generated from the sale of nomination forms ahead of the 2023 general elections, which are believed to have been misappropriated.

Aiyenigba further affirmed that the party is committed to transparency and accountability:

“The party will not shield any individual found guilty. Our objective is to restore public confidence in the Social Democratic Party as a viable and credible alternative for national leadership.”

Formal notifications of the suspensions have already been sent to INEC and other appropriate agencies, reinforcing the party’s resolve to pursue justice and reform.

The violent disruption at the party headquarters has since drawn widespread condemnation from media organizations and civil society groups, who have called for an immediate investigation into the attack and heightened security at political party offices.