“Is All About El-Rufai”: Reactions As Thugs Invade SDP Headquarters After Chairman’s Suspension

• Ex-Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been dragged into the fresh crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP)
• This was after armed thugs invaded the premises of the SDP in Abuja and unleashed violence on journalists and party staff
• The SDP on Tuesday, June 24, suspended its party’s chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, national auditor, Nze Nnadi Clarkson and the national youth leader, Uchechukwu Chukwuma, over alleged financial misconduct

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - On Tuesday, June 24, violence erupted at the national headquarters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Abuja as a group of armed thugs dressed in black outfits stormed the premises, unleashing violence on journalists and party staff.

The attack happened amid a deepening crisis within the party, triggered by the suspension of key national officers, including the national chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam.

They were accused of gross financial misconduct, including embezzlement, misappropriation, and unauthorised diversion of party funds running into hundreds of millions of naira.

Thugs invade SDP headquarters after Gabam's suspension

As reported by The Punch, journalists who had gathered at the party office for a press briefing were caught in the fray as hoodlums descended on the premises.

Cameras and phones were seized while some reporters, were physically assaulted, before security agents intervened.

The violence became public knowledge after the party’s national publicity secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, released a statement announcing the suspensions.

“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,” the statement read.

Aiyenigba added that the suspensions have already been formally communicated to INEC and other relevant agencies.

Nigerians react, drags El-Rufai into SDP crisis

In a twist of events, Nigerians dragged former governor of Kaduna state into the matter. They accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of aiding touts in his administration.

Legit.ng compiled a few reactions from the comment section on X below;

@BaashO07 tweeted:

"Is all about @elrufai nothing more than that."

@onowuhiphop002 tweeted:

"In @officialABAT administration, Thugs are part in his arms of government. He included them as they helped him during the election. Police must not touch them. Police can go after peaceful protesters. As an agbero government."

@bintinlaye2000 tweeted:

"SDP don dey get brouhaha on top wetin nah."

@LukeObhokhan tweeted:

"Taking over SDP again."

@popechinedu tweeted:

"This is one of the reasons why the so-called coalition doesn't want to use SDP..APC has planted there viruses in SDP."

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Read more about SDP here:

• Honourable Usman joins the Social Democratic Party SDP

SDP distances party from El-Rufai’s opposition coalition push

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Adewole Adebayo, former presidential candidate of the SDP, has refuted claims that Nasir El-Rufai, is representing the party in opposition coalition discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

El-Rufai, who recently dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a reported fallout with President Bola Tinubu, joined the SDP in March 2025.

Despite his growing involvement in mobilizing political figures for a possible coalition, the SDP has made it clear that El-Rufai is not acting on its behalf.

Source: Legit.ng