Opposition restrategises as SDP rejects merger plans

Opposition figures seeking a formidable political platform ahead of the 2027 elections are reassessing their strategies following the rejection of merger terms by the Social Democratic Party.

The National Secretary of the SDP, Olu Agunloye, confirmed on Monday that the party would not enter into any mergers or adopt external takeover models.

He emphasised that the SDP intended to maintain its identity and structure while working towards electoral success.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that with the SDP’s decision, key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, and some former ministers from the Muhammadu Buhari administration, are now exploring alternative platforms.

Atiku had earlier announced the formation of a broad opposition coalition aimed at presenting a united front against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

His move followed the recent defection of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the SDP, which had raised expectations of a larger political realignment.

According to sources, some discontented members of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party involved in the 2027 opposition movement had considered SDP as their preferred party.

About 10 former ministers from Buhari’s administration had reportedly signalled their willingness to lead other APC defectors to the SDP in pursuit of a stronger electoral platform.

However, there are indications that discussions between opposition leaders and the SDP leadership might have hit a deadlock over leadership control.

A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC, Salihu Lukman, who is involved in the political realignment, disclosed in a recent interview with Sunday PUNCH that SDP leaders were unwilling to make structural changes to accommodate new entrants.

“The issue we have is for them (SDP leadership) to open the party up and agree to produce new leadership that will reflect the new setup from ward to national level. They are resisting that, which is the issue.

“It is like buying a house but being told after moving in that you can’t change anything. Even as a tenant, I should have some rights. The discussion is still ongoing. Let’s see how it goes,” he stated.

But the SDP has maintained that it would not submit its leadership to the new joiners or abide by any merger terms.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Agunloye said the SDP’s main concern was avoiding political instability that could arise from rushed mergers.

He warned that such arrangements could lead to disputes, legal battles, and distractions from the campaign.

Agunloye revealed that the SDP was concerned about maintaining its identity and avoiding legal battles that could derail the opposition’s campaign efforts.

“Some people just want to buy us off. They are not interested in who is there or what we stand for. They want to change the name, constitution, and manifesto of the party, and we don’t want this.

“Even if the new party that emerges from the merger wins the presidential election, we cannot say we are part of it. We cannot even say that it used to be our party,” Agunloye said.

Rather than a full merger, Agunloye said the SDP is pushing for a “working arrangement” where opposition parties collaborate while maintaining their identities.

“We want the resources of the new people, the experience of the new people, the spread of the new people, and the entire potential optimised to win elections. It is election-winning that they came for, not the National Working Committee.

“But they will want the NWC not to be biased, to be honest, to be transparent, and to ensure a level playing field because they are bigger than us and richer than us. What they want is election victory, which we can achieve irrespective of the conditions we are facing,” he added.

He further cautioned against repeating past coalition mistakes, referencing the failed experience of the Coalition of United Political Parties, which was marred by internal conflicts. “We do not want to make the same mistake that was made while forming the CUPP,” he said.

Despite the SDP’s stance, opposition figures remain determined to find an alternative platform.

A former minister under Buhari, who is part of the coordinators of the ongoing political realignment, told Sunday PUNCH that discussions were still in progress with multiple parties.

“Our platform consideration on acquisition, adoption and merger is not exclusive to SDP as an option. We are associated with some applications for registration that were apparently being overlooked beyond the statutorily regulated time,” he said.

The former minister added that opposition leaders were carefully weighing their options to ensure that any decision taken would be in the best interest of their political future and electoral success. “We are processing our strategies, and no collective position has been finally taken on the modalities for the platform. The possibilities are enormous,” he said.

The minister also hinted that beyond the SDP, opposition figures were considering alternatives, including reviving dormant political parties or acquiring smaller platforms to avoid internal conflicts that often arise in large mergers.

He said, “You have acquisition, adoption, and merger as available options. It all depends on which decision is finally taken as a collective resolution.”