The internal crisis plaguing the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken a new turn, as the Dr. Abubakar Gombe-led National Working Committee (NWC) has disassociated the party from a political summit scheduled for Friday, September 5, 2025, in Owerri, Imo State.

The summit, tagged the “SDP Political Conference Summit”, is being organized by a faction loyal to Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, a group the Gombe-led leadership has branded as illegal.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, SDP National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, described the summit as an “illegality” being orchestrated by dissidents seeking to drag the party into an unofficial alliance with the ADC (African Democratic Congress), a coalition he alleges is being pushed by former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

“The so-called summit is an illegality being committed by a group of dissidents whose overarching objective is to deceive our members and lure them into the ADC coalition,” Aiyenigba stated.

“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who is behind this, is no longer a member of the SDP and cannot speak or act on behalf of the party.”

The Gombe-led NWC reminded the public that on July 28, 2025, El-Rufai, Modibbo, and seven others were expelled from the party for a period of 30 years and are currently facing legal action over actions considered harmful to the party’s interests.

“Members of the SDP, particularly in Imo State, the South-East, and the general public, are advised to disregard the scheduled ‘SDP Political Conference Summit’ as it has no connection to our party,” the statement added.

“The SDP is not part of any ADC coalition and remains committed to its founding ideology and core manifesto.”

The summit controversy stems from a broader leadership crisis that began in June 2025, when then National Chairman Alhaji Shehu Gabam was suspended over allegations of financial misconduct, alongside two NWC members accused of unauthorized transactions and misappropriation of party funds.

In the aftermath, a factional group led by Adamu Modibbo emerged from an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on July 25, with claims of support from 23 state chairmen.

Modibbo was declared Acting National Chairman and immediately initiated sweeping reforms, including the dissolution of standing committees.

However, the Abubakar-led NWC rejected the NEC meeting as unconstitutional, with SDP National Secretary Dr. Olu Agunloye describing the gathering as “irregular and not sanctioned.”

Despite Modibbo’s calls for unity and reconciliation, the Gombe-led faction maintains it remains the legitimate leadership of the party.

The SDP leadership under Dr. Gombe insists it is focused on restoring internal order and rebuilding party structures across the state and national levels.

“We remain the authentic leadership and are committed to presenting the SDP as a strong, credible alternative in Nigeria’s political landscape,” the statement concluded.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Reparation and Repatriation, Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), has called on the Anioma people of Delta State to fully embrace their Igbo heritage, while urging greater unity with their Eastern Nigerian counterparts to build a stronger and more inclusive nation.

Speaking in Asaba at a conference jointly organised by the Igbo Unification Movement and Ndi na Asu Bia Socio-Cultural Organisation, themed “Igbo Bu Ofu” (Igbos are One), Nwoko said the time had come to shed old divisions and embrace historical truth.

In a statement from his office on Friday, he praised the organisers for their “courage and vision,” noting that the conference reflects his long-standing commitment to Anioma identity and his advocacy for the creation of Anioma State out of Delta North.

“These groups have become strong voices advocating for the cultural, historical, and political unity of Igbo-speaking communities,” the statement noted, referring to areas such as Anioma (Delta North), Igbanke in Edo, and other border communities.

The goal, according to the groups, is to rebuild cultural identity, enhance political leverage, and reverse decades of historical distortion.

“There is no argument about our Igbo-ness. I understand history very well. I have a degree in history. I know the migration of the Igbo people, and I know clearly that we, the Anioma, are Igbo,” Senator Nwoko said.

“Time has come for us to reverse the old narratives that separated us from our brothers across the Niger.”

The senator reiterated that his drive to establish Anioma State in the National Assembly stems from the need to restore justice, not political ambition.

“This is not about APC, PDP, or Labour Party. It is about identity, justice, and fairness. I have no interest in being governor, but I want Anioma to stand tall with its own state, with Asaba as its capital. That way, we also fulfill the dream of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which has always recognized Anioma as one of the Igbo states,” he explained.

Nwoko also reflected on his personal experiences during the Nigerian Civil War, recalling a painful chapter of ethnic cleansing endured by Anioma communities.

He said people were often forced to deny their Igbo heritage in order to survive, a situation that has had long-lasting effects on their collective identity.

“The lingering identity crisis from that era must now give way to truth and reconciliation,” he urged.

He acknowledged the academic contributions of individuals like Professor Abigail Ogwezzy of the University of Lagos, whose linguistic and historical research has strengthened the understanding of Anioma’s Igbo origins.

“The Igbo man is Igbo everywhere, whether from Delta, Imo, or Abia. Just like a Chinese man remains Chinese anywhere in the world, Anioma must rise to embrace its identity. That is the only way we can achieve unity and political relevance,” he said.

Senator Nwoko, who also chairs the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, encouraged the Igbo Unification Movement, Ndi na Asu Bia, and similar groups to continue their work in advocacy, education, and mobilisation.

He emphasized that unity and persistence would be key to realising both the dream of an Anioma State and a unified Igbo nation.

A coalition of Igbo leaders and socio-cultural groups has called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lift what they described as a decades‑long “economic blockade” against the South-East, highlighting the prolonged shutdown of key coastal ports; Port Harcourt, Bonny and Opobo, ever since the civil war.

In a strongly worded communique issued at the conclusion of a two-day meeting in Asaba, Delta State, the Igbo Unification Movement and ‘Ndi Na Asu Bia’ Socio-Cultural Organisation declared:

“The President must lift the unfair economic blockade imposed on the Igbo almost 60 years ago. We urge him to dredge, modernise, and functionally reopen those coastal ports to re‑trigger a pole of development in the East, with spillover effects to the Middle Belt and even Lake Chad.”

The communique was signed by Chief Kingsley Onyenwemmadu Kainebi (President), Ofochi Benjamin Atagana Esq (Secretary/Legal Adviser) and Chief Cosmas Chikeobi Agada (Chairman, Local Organising Committee).

It emphasized unity among all Igbo-speaking groups across Nigeria.

They also urged the federal government to ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure and federal projects to Igbo-dominated areas, which they say continue to lag despite their vital contributions to national progress.

Young Igbo leaders expressed cautious optimism, thanking President Tinubu for “gradual improvements” in national security, though acknowledging that “a lot still needs to be done.”

The gathering also fully supported the push for the creation of Anioma State, carving it out of Delta State’s Igbo-speaking areas.

The communique framed the demand as:

“Creating Anioma State is not just a political demand; it is a question of equity and historical justice for the Igbo-speaking people.”

Igbo leaders insist that the reopening of Eastern ports is more than symbolic, it’s a critical step toward reversing regional marginalisation and rebalancing Nigeria’s economy.