 has distanced itself from the recently announced coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.){kind=link}
The South-West leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has distanced itself from the recently announced coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This position was made public on Saturday by the Chairman of Chairmen of the SDP across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Femi Olaniyi, popularly known as Ferrari, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s zonal secretariat in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Olaniyi emphasized that the party is currently focused on formulating a comprehensive strategy to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at all levels in 2027, rather than aligning with any opposition alliance for now.
Earlier reports indicated that several opposition figures had resolved to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the common platform for the 2027 elections.
The meeting where this decision was made was attended by political heavyweights including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Nasir El-Rufai, among others.
Despite this development, Olaniyi clarified that the SDP in the South-West has not endorsed or joined any coalition.
He noted that such a significant decision can only be taken by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), and the region is currently awaiting the NWC’s official position.
Olaniyi, who also serves as the party’s chairman in Lagos State, assured members that the NWC would soon provide all states with vital party materials such as membership cards and registers to support ongoing grassroots mobilization.
He further stressed the importance of unity among party leaders and stakeholders in the region, saying they are determined to rescue the nation from its current challenges and offer Nigerians a credible alternative government in 2027.
“We deliberated on the situation of the party, including the rumored coalition. We’ve had inquiries from across the six states in the region — Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ogun — and we felt it was necessary to inform our stakeholders of our current stance. There is no part of the South-West SDP that has joined the coalition,” Olaniyi said.
He reaffirmed that the party would only act based on clear directives from the national leadership, stating: “Until we receive official communication from our NWC, there is no coalition as far as we are concerned.”
Addressing concerns over internal challenges, Olaniyi assured that the national leadership has pledged to assist all state chapters with the tools needed to strengthen the party’s structure and expand its base.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ekiti State House of Assembly member representing Ise-Orun Constituency, Babatunde Omotayo, backed the chairman’s remarks.
He stated that the meeting was crucial for resolving issues and reinforcing party unity in the region.
“We gathered to resolve internal matters and ensure that SDP continues to operate with one voice in the South-West. As it stands, the party has no intention of joining any political coalition,” Omotayo said.
Other notable attendees included SDP state chairmen from the South-West: Okunlade Michael (Oyo), Gbenga Akinbuli (Ondo), Yinka Ola-Williams (Ogun), Yinus Gbadamosi (Osun), Ayodele Bamikole (Ekiti), as well as the party’s Deputy National Woman Leader, Bosede Mercy Ilesanmi.