Nasarawa SDP Chairman Disowns Assembly Defectors, Says Ex-IGP Not Party Candidate

The State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nasarawa State and Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, Hon. Danlami Mohammed Musa, has disowned the recent defection of members of the State House of Assembly to the party.

The affected members are Jacob Kudu (Nasarawa Eggon East) and Mohammed Adamu Omadefu (Keana) — and earlier reported as including Mohammed Garba Isimbabi — who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Speaker, Dr. Danladi Jatau, announced their defection at plenary over alleged unfair treatment during the APC primaries.

Musa, who is also the Secretary of the Forum of Nigerian SDP State Chairmen, said the lawmakers did not follow due process and are therefore not recognized as members of the party.

“I didn’t receive them. They don’t have membership from me,” Musa said in an interview with journalists in Lafia on Thursday. “I only heard on air that they announced on the floor of the House that they defected to SDP.”

He said the lawmakers did not come to him as the authentic State Chairman, and therefore any motion they move as SDP members is not binding on the party leadership.

Musa also said Hon. Solomon Akwashiki, representing Lafia Central and Minority Whip of the Assembly, was expelled from the party over anti-party activities.

He alleged that Akwashiki openly canvassed support for the former Minister of Information, Solomon Ewuga, ahead of the last National Assembly by-election for Nasarawa North Senatorial District, and is not the party’s candidate for the Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency.

Reacting, Akwashiki dismissed his alleged expulsion as fake and baseless, insisting that Danlami Musa lacks the locus standi to suspend or expel him because he is no longer the chairman.

“I wish you had asked him who is a candidate? By His mercy and grace, I was elected on the platform of the SDP as a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and the Minority Whip. Danlami Musa is no longer the SDP Chairman. He is parading himself,” Akwashiki said.

According to him, the authentic chairman is Barrister Ajegena Illiya, who emerged through a congress monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

“Go to INEC, they will give you their report. The DSS were there. We did our primaries. Can you ask Danlami where he conducted his primary election?” he queried.

The lawmaker maintained that his name is on the list of candidates published by INEC for the 2027 general elections, adding that Danlami’s governorship ambition is not on the INEC list.

“I am a candidate in the SDP. INEC has listed my name among those who will contest the 2027 election. His name is not on INEC’s list. Go and make your findings. Enough is enough. He must stop parading himself,” he said.

He confirmed that Hon. Mohammed Omadefu (Keana) and Hon. Jacob Kudu (Nasarawa Eggon East) have joined the SDP and warned that the party would take legal action against Danlami Musa for alleged impersonation.