Afenifere, ACF, NEF Leaders Back SDP Ahead Of 2027

Three of Nigeria’s most influential socio-political groups—Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elders Forum—have endorsed the Social Democratic Party (SDP), signalling a rare alignment of northern and southern interests ahead of the polls.

The endorsement, announced at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Ilesha, Osun State, drew political actors and opinion leaders from across the country, including delegates from all 19 northern states and members of the Conference of SDP State Chairmen, in what observers describe as one of the earliest major realignments ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.

Speaking at the gathering, SDP National Leader, Adewole Adebayo, framed the development as a unifying national moment, insisting that the coalition of regional blocs possesses the capacity to confront Nigeria’s deepening governance and economic challenges.

Reaffirming the party’s commitment to democratic principles, Adebayo declared that the SDP aims to secure power through the ballot, saying “We’ll get the power through the ballot—we will not snatch it, we will not grab it… We’ll get it from the people and put in place a responsible government.”

He added that such governance would revive what he described as “Afenifere politics.

The event featured prominent figures, including, Afenifere National Leader, Oba Oladipupo Olaitan, ACF Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, and Deputy Director-General NEF, Salisu Mohammed. Other attendees included Bello Fadile, Dr. Usman Bugaje, and Olufunmilade, alongside members of the SDP’s National Working Committee.

Political Observers argued that the convergence of these major northern and southern groups signals a strategic alliance that could play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The mixture of traditional, political and civic leaders, underlining what insiders describe as a deliberate attempt to build a broad-based national platform that cuts across regional and ideological lines.