RismadarVoice Reporters
November 9, 2026
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has rejected participation in the proposed rainbow coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that it will field its own candidates while maintaining cooperation with other opposition parties on electoral matters.
The party’s National Chairman, Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, announced the position during a meeting with nine governorship candidates and members of the National Working Committee in Abuja on Thursday, November 5.
Gombe said the engagement was organised to strengthen the party’s electoral preparations through strategic planning, experience-sharing and improved coordination among candidates.
He maintained that the SDP would contest the presidential, governorship and legislative elections under its own political platform.
The chairman accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to infiltrate opposition parties through the proposed rainbow coalition, allegedly to weaken their political structures.
However, the allegation has not been independently established.
Gombe explained that rejecting the coalition did not prevent the SDP from collaborating with other opposition parties to promote credible elections.
According to him, the proposed cooperation would include joint training of polling agents, establishing shared election-monitoring situation rooms and coordinating efforts to protect votes at polling units.
He identified Prince Adewole Adebayo and Professor Usman Bugaje as the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively.
The SDP chairman also warned that members who entered unauthorised political arrangements capable of compromising the party’s interests could face disciplinary action.
He expressed concern over what he described as the Independent National Electoral Commission’s failure to publish the names of some SDP candidates despite the party’s claimed compliance with electoral requirements.
Gombe said the matter was already before the courts and urged electoral authorities to respect political parties’ rights to nominate candidates in accordance with the law.
He also criticised reported efforts to disqualify African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, calling for impartiality from the judiciary, security agencies and INEC.
Earlier, the Chairman of the SDP Governorship Candidates Forum and Nasarawa State governorship candidate, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, said the meeting provided an opportunity to assess preparations and identify organisational challenges.
He explained that discussions covered strategies for the presidential, governorship and legislative elections.
The SDP maintained that it would continue strengthening its internal structures while cooperating with other opposition parties on electoral transparency and democratic safeguards.
