National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Olu Agunloye, has said the party successfully resisted attempts by coalition forces and “self-serving politicians” to take over its structure, declaring that the SDP is repositioning itself as a credible opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Agunloye stated this while presenting the State of the Party address at the SDP 2026 National Convention.
Addressing delegates and party stakeholders, he said the SDP had undergone significant institutional reforms in the last four years, reclaiming its ideological identity and restoring the party to what he described as its “original owners.”
“Our party has been able to reclaim and re-establish itself and has been brought back to its original owners,” Agunloye said.
“It has been restored as a public institution for the Nigerian people in general.”
The SDP scribe described the party as one of Nigeria’s oldest surviving political organisations with a strong ideological foundation rooted in social justice and equity.
“The Social Democratic Party is a political party with ideological foundation, heritage and legacy,” he stated.
“As social democrats, this party prevailed under the military regime and won elections in free and fair contests. We shall also prevail under a civilian regime deliberately placing obstacles on the path of free and fair elections.”
Agunloye disclosed that the party reviewed its constitution in 2018 and 2022 as part of efforts to strengthen internal democracy and preserve the ideals of its founding members.
According to him, the SDP also embarked on what he described as “internal cleansing” to enforce discipline and uphold the supremacy of the party constitution.
“The internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party were robustly activated, guided by the constitution and the enforcement of internal discipline,” he explained.
He commended members of the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee for resisting alleged pressures from political interests seeking to hijack the party structure.
“The party survived the siege of takeover attempts by self-serving politicians and agents of coalition who reacted violently to the internal cleansing activities,” Agunloye added.
The SDP National Secretary said the party had continued to gain public recognition as a stable and structured opposition platform.
On electoral performance, he disclosed that the SDP secured two senatorial seats, two House of Representatives seats, eight state assembly seats, two local government chairmanship positions and eight councillorship seats in elections conducted within the last four years.
Agunloye also revealed that the party recorded legal victories against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged unlawful interference in its internal affairs.
“In one of the cases, INEC was fined two million naira for interfering illegally and unlawfully in the affairs of the party,” he said.
He further disclosed that the SDP had commenced the establishment of model secretariat offices at local government, state and national levels to strengthen its organisational structure nationwide.
Agunloye stated that the party had resolved to contest all elective positions in the 2027 general elections, including the presidency.
“All positions in the 2027 general elections will be contested,” he declared.
Expressing optimism about the party’s prospects, he said the SDP was steadily emerging as one of the country’s most credible opposition parties.
“The horse is galloping and is on its way to national recognition,” Agunloye said.
“At any moment from now, the SDP will show itself as perhaps the most credible political party and a strong member of the opposition.”
