SDP Snubs Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, Eyes Independent 2027 Victory

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has firmly rejected the proposed rainbow coalition associated with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, insisting it will field its own candidates and contest the 2027 general elections independently while partnering with other opposition parties to safeguard democracy and ensure credible polls.

National Chairman Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe made the position clear on Thursday in Abuja after a strategic engagement with the party’s National Working Committee and governorship candidates drawn from across the country. The meeting focused on sharpening preparations through experience-sharing, coordination and unified strategies aimed at improving the party’s prospects at both state and national levels.

Gombe declared that the SDP is not part of any arrangement under the rainbow coalition. He alleged that the initiative, widely linked to efforts to bolster President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is designed to infiltrate opposition parties, weaken their internal structures and break their ranks ahead of the polls

“We are not into any rainbow coalition. We are SDP and we are for SDP candidates,” he stated. He warned that any party member who participates in the arrangement faces disciplinary sanctions.

While ruling out merger or absorption into the Wike-backed platform, Gombe said the SDP remains open to collaboration with like-minded opposition parties. The party is working towards a broader “coalition of the Nigerian people” focused on protecting the democratic process.

Plans include joint training of polling agents, the establishment of common situation rooms and coordinated monitoring at polling units so that opposition parties can effectively serve as their own checks on the electoral process.

He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to presenting credible alternatives, identifying Prince Adewole Adebayo as its presidential candidate and Professor Usman Bugaje as the running mate. Gombe urged Nigerians to evaluate candidates on the basis of competence, capacity, character and patriotism.

The chairman also condemned a recent Federal High Court ruling that nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark and affected the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. He described the judgment as a threat to democracy and insisted that political parties must be free to nominate candidates without undue interference. Gombe called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judiciary and security agencies to remain impartial and guarantee a level playing field.

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The SDP’s stance comes amid intensifying political realignments. While the rainbow coalition has drawn support from some figures across parties in certain states, the SDP has drawn a clear line, prioritising its organisational independence and a focused opposition alliance built around vote protection rather than candidate absorption.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the party says it is ready, will resist any attempt to shift the polls, and is determined to offer Nigerians a viable alternative grounded in its own structures and candidates.