The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nigeria has publicly cautioned the United States government against interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs, while simultaneously requesting crucial military and intelligence support to tackle the nation’s security crisis.
The party’s statement, issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, comes in direct response to former US President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution. This move has heightened diplomatic tensions between Abuja and Washington.
“The SDP, as a national political party that promotes the true interest of Nigeria, is greatly worried by the prevailing discomfiting development and discourses that bother on seeming threats to the sovereignty of the country,” Aiyenigba stated.
While acknowledging that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity has rightly attracted global attention, the party firmly asserted that no foreign power holds the right to meddle in the country’s domestic issues. It attributed the growing international concern to the “underwhelming performance” of Nigeria’s own security architecture. However, it insisted that such failures “should not become an excuse for foreign interference.”
Outlining a preferred path for international engagement, the SDP explicitly called for practical assistance from the United States. “If the United States is that concerned about the insecurity and killings in Nigeria, it should offer concrete military support and intelligence collaboration to Nigeria like it is doing to its other allies, including Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and others,” the statement added.
The party further accused Western powers of double standards and issued a stark warning against any US military or political incursion, suggesting it “could lead to disaster similar to what happened in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.”
Emphasising national sovereignty, Aiyenigba declared, “President Trump or any other foreign leader cannot love Nigeria more than Nigerians love themselves,” adding that, “History has shown that such so-called interventions end in sorrow, tears, and blood.”
Turning its attention to domestic leadership, the SDP urged President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate decisive action by confronting the insecurity head-on. The party argued that this should take precedence over political manoeuvring for the upcoming 2027 general election.
“The task of securing the lives of Nigerians irrespective of their religions and tribes is more important than considerations for the 2027 general election,” the SDP said. “The President therefore needs to prioritise national security and the betterment of the lives of Nigerians in the remainder of his mandate.”
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