In a stunning revelation that has exposed the underbelly of political corruption and sparked a leadership crisis, a top chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Olu Agunloye, has confirmed that the party uncovered massive financial infractions running into nearly ₦1 billion, implicating key members of its National Working Committee (NWC), including its now-suspended National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam.

Speaking with The Guardian amid heightened tensions and a visible security presence at the party secretariat, Agunloye described the unfolding events as the fallout of an internal anti-corruption purge that has triggered retaliation from officials affected by it.

“When you frontally attack or expose someone, they fight back. That’s exactly what’s happening now,” he said, referring to reported vandalism at the party’s office, including broken gates and damaged doors.

The senior party official explained that the financial discrepancies were discovered during internal reviews covering the period from 2022 to 2023, prompting the party to act swiftly by suspending Gabam, National Auditor Nze Nnadi Clarkson, and National Youth Leader Uchechukwu Chukwuma.

“We suspect close to a billion naira is missing. These are donations, nomination form revenues, and public trust. We couldn’t sit back,” he said.

Agunloye insisted that while the party has no judicial authority to jail those involved. He said it has a constitutional obligation to suspend and investigate, while law enforcement agencies — including the police and EFCC — handle the criminal aspects.

“You can’t allow the same houseboy who poisoned your food to keep cooking for you,” he said metaphorically. “We’ve done our part. The police will do theirs.”

In what appears to be an escalating internal revolt, Agunloye revealed that the party is under siege not just from financial misconduct but also from desperate attempts by suspended officials to discredit the leadership and derail the reform process.

“This has nothing to do with external politics or so-called influence from Jagaban or anyone else. People must learn to separate crime from politics. If you commit fraud, you face the consequences,” he said.

Despite the turmoil, the SDP has moved to restore order, appointing Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, as interim leader, and launching a financial audit committee to track every missing naira.

As one of the few parties in Nigeria daring to cleanse itself from within, the SDP’s bold action may be setting a precedent, even as it risks tearing the house apart.