EXCLUSIVE: El-Rufai, Malami, Al-Mustapha Push To Change SDP’s Name, Logo, Constitution; Seek To Erase MKO Abiola's Legacy From Party

Former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, along with his allies, plans to completely overhaul the structure and identity of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following their recent defection to the party.

Sources revealed to SaharaReporters that El-Rufai is working alongside Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General of the Federation, and Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha.

According to insiders, El-Rufai and his associates believe the party’s ideological stance is too socialist and are uncomfortable with its historical connection to Moshood Abiola (MKO), who won the 1993 presidential election under the SDP before it was annulled by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

“El-Rufai, Al-Mustapha, and Malami are pushing to change the party’s name, logo and constitution,” a senior party source disclosed.

“They consider the party too socialist and want to distance themselves from MKO Abiola's legacy, tied to the annulled 1993 election.

“They don’t want anything to do with MKO Abiola, as he won the 1993 election annulled by Babangida and Co., under the party’s platform.”

Party sources also revealed that El-Rufai has yet to join the SDP through the proper channels officially. Instead of registering at his ward, as required by party regulations, he reportedly submitted his resignation letter from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP national secretariat and declared his membership.

“El-Rufai did not go to his ward to join the party,” the source added.
“He only presented his resignation letter from the APC to the SDP national secretariat and started announcing his membership, whereas he was supposed to join the party at the ward level.

“Despite not being a bona fide member of the party, he is already proposing changing the name, logo and constitution of the party. He still went ahead to illegally dissolve and take over the state executive committee of the party. This is illegal.”

The reported moves have sparked internal tensions within the SDP, as party loyalists resist what they see as an attempt to sideline the party's ideological roots and historical significance.

SDP Kaduna Denies El-Rufai's Membership Claim

Earlier on Friday, SaharaReporters reported that the Kaduna State chapter of the SDP had denied reports that El-Rufai had joined the party. The chapter clarified that El-Rufai was not a registered member of the SDP in the state.

El-Rufai had recently resigned from the APC and announced his decision to join the SDP. He also directed his political allies and supporters to follow him into the party.

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) attributed his defection to a growing disconnect between his personal values and the current direction of the APC.

El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, accused the party's leadership of abandoning the progressive ideals upon which it was established 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.

However, the SDP’s Assistant National Secretary for the Northwest zone, Idris Inuwa, at a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, dismissed El-Rufai’s purported defection as mere rumour, insisting that due process was not followed. 

“Neither the Chairman of the Kaduna North Local Government Chapter nor the leadership of Unguwar Sarki ward has any record of his membership,” Inuwa said. 

He advised El-Rufai and others interested in joining the SDP to follow the proper registration process if they wish to be officially recognised. 

Inuwa also rejected the purported dissolution of the Kaduna State Working Committee by the party’s national secretariat, describing the move as unconstitutional and a violation of due process. 

He stated that the state executive committee was duly elected and had a valid four-year mandate, adding that the party’s constitution stipulates a clear procedure for dissolving such a body, which was not followed. 

Abiola’s Election Under SDP Platform

Abiola contested the June 12, 1993 presidential election under the platform of the SDP. His main opponent was Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).

The election was widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria's history, with Abiola winning in most parts of the country, including the northern regions where his opponent had significant support.

Abiola was on the verge of being declared the winner when Babangida, the military head of state, annulled the election on June 23, 1993, citing alleged electoral irregularities and national security concerns.

The annulment triggered nationwide protests and unrest, plunging Nigeria into a political crisis.

Following public outcry and intense political pressure, Babangida "stepped aside" on August 26, 1993, and handed over power to an interim government led by Ernest Shonekan.

Sani Abacha's Takeover And Abiola's Imprisonment

On November 17, 1993, General Sani Abacha—Babangida’s Minister of Defence—seized power in a coup, overthrowing Shonekan's interim government.

Abiola, insisting on his mandate as the rightful winner of the election, declared himself President on June 11, 1994, in a symbolic act of defiance.

In response, Abacha ordered Abiola’s arrest on June 23, 1994, and imprisoned him on charges of treason.

Role Allegedly Played by Hamza Al-Mustapha

Al-Mustapha was Sani Abacha's CSO and a powerful figure within the military regime, known for his ruthless control over Abacha's security apparatus. He was alleged to have played key roles in:

Al-Mustapha was accused of running a deadly strike force and ordering the elimination of perceived enemies of the Abacha regime.

Kudirat Abiola, Abiola’s wife and a prominent pro-democracy activist, was assassinated on June 4, 1996 in Lagos by gunmen believed to be acting on instructions from Al-Mustapha.

Al-Mustapha was alleged to have overseen the hit squad, which was linked to the assassination.

Prosecution witnesses later testified that Al-Mustapha provided the weapons and coordinated the operation.

Al-Mustapha was also accused of masterminding the torture and detention of opposition figures, journalists, and pro-democracy activists who called for Abiola’s release and the restoration of his mandate.

High-profile victims of Al-Mustapha’s brutal tactics allegedly included activists such as Pa Alfred Rewane (who was murdered in 1995) and Shehu Yar’Adua (who died in detention in 1997 under suspicious circumstances).

Al-Mustapha reportedly ensured that Abiola remained in prison and isolated from his supporters.

After Abacha’s death and the transition to civilian rule under Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, Al-Mustapha was arrested and charged with conspiracy and the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

He faced a prolonged trial and was sentenced to death in 2013 by the Lagos High Court.

However, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction in July 2013, citing insufficient evidence, and Al-Mustapha was released.