The People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Nigeria’s oldest surviving political party, has long been synonymous with radicalism and populism, tracing its roots to the late Mallam Aminu Kano and Alhaji Balarabe Musa.

Despite its historical significance, the PRP has struggled to maintain political relevance in contemporary Nigerian politics, often overshadowed by dominant parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

However, recent defections by some of its 2023 governorship candidates have reignited discussions about the party’s viability. The exit of these politicians, who formally joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has not only raised questions about PRP’s future but also sparked a broader conversation on Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.

A party on the margin?

While the APC, PDP, Labour Party (LP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) frequently dominate political discourse, the PRP has remained largely in the background. Its absence from mainstream political conversations has led to debates over whether the party should continue to exist or be among the smaller political parties deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Some political actors have also pushed for the registration of new parties, arguing that Nigerians deserve more alternatives beyond the existing dominant parties.

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On March 26, several PRP governorship candidates across the country announced their resignation from the party and their defection to the SDP. Their decision follows a similar move by former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who recently left the APC for the SDP. El-Rufai’s defection has seemingly sparked momentum for the SDP, with more politicians gravitating towards the party.

 

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Hayatuddeen Lawal Makarfi, chairman of the PRP Gubernatorial Candidates’ Forum, described their move as a strategic realignment rather than a mere defection.

“We appreciate the warm gesture of the most influential political leader of today, whose visionary and unwavering leadership qualities have been felt even by the blind in this country. He is facing persecution because he has refused to compromise standards due to his fear of God and love for Nigeria,” he said.

Makarfi, the party’s 2023 governorship candidate for Kaduna State, lamented the state of the nation, stating that Nigeria is “bleeding” under a system where citizens are trapped between “soaring poverty and collapsing institutions.” He criticised both the APC and PDP, accusing them of turning governance into a “cabal of shared incompetence.”

“The 2027 election must not be APC vs PDP; it should be Nigeria vs failure. We see the SDP as not just another party but the last hope of the common man,” he added.

While SDP National Chairman Shehu Musa Gabam welcomed the defectors, assuring them of equal opportunities within the party, the PRP leadership downplayed the defections, insisting that the party remains unshaken. The party’s national spokesman, Comrade Muhammed Ishaq, said PRP respects the right of individuals to associate freely and will not engage in confrontations over members leaving.

“We are a law-abiding political party, and the Nigerian Constitution guarantees free association. This is their right, and we have no problem with that,” Ishaq told Daily Trust.

PRP national chairman debunks defectors’ claims

However, PRP National Chairman Alhaji Falalu Bello dismissed claims that Makarfi led a substantial number of gubernatorial candidates in defecting to the SDP.

“Who elected him, and where was he elected? Makarfi town is close to Kaduna; anyone can visit to check if he ever had a campaign office there as a governorship candidate. Otherwise, anyone can wake up tomorrow and claim to be defecting from PRP or even President Tinubu’s camp,” Bello said.

He said only six individuals were visible at the SDP reception for defectors, questioning Makarfi’s claim of leading a mass exodus from the PRP.

“The PRP has a long history, having formed governments in Kano and Kaduna states. Any genuine PRP governorship candidate in Kaduna would have a significant following because of the party’s pedigree. So where was his campaign office?” Bello asked.

A former managing director of the Bank of the North, Bello was elected PRP national chairman in September 2018 to replace the late Alhaji Balarabe Musa. He survived attempts to remove him by some aggrieved party members in September 2020 before being re-elected in 2022 at the party’s national convention in Abuja.

A party in decline or a political ideal?

Founded in 1978 as a leftist alternative to the dominant political parties of the time, the PRP emerged as the reincarnation of the NEPU and became a beacon for socialist ideals under Mallam Aminu Kano. However, following the 1983 coup led by then-Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the PRP was banned.

In the Fourth Republic, the party was revived under Balarabe Musa, who had won the Kaduna State governorship in 1979 with the PRP but struggled to regain its former prominence. Despite its deep ideological roots, the PRP has remained a marginal player in Nigerian politics, failing to win major elections in recent years.

However, its national chairman argued that the PRP’s influence transcends electoral politics, emphasising that it represents an enduring political ideology.

“The PRP, as the descendant of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), is not just a political party—it is an ideal rooted in the minds and beliefs of the people. A 90-year-old woman in Bauchi still holds her NEPU membership card. That tells you that PRP is bigger than individuals,” Bello said.

He also revealed that discussions for a merger between the PRP and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took place in 2024, but the plan did not materialise.

“PRP has always been open to alliances. In the past, we formed a government in Kaduna through a coalition, so political mergers are not new to us,” he added.

Bello dismissed Makarfi’s claims, noting that the latter was originally an APC member who only joined the PRP a few months before the 2023 elections after being dismissed by El-Rufai.

Defectors defend move

However, when contacted, Makarfi refused to engage in a war of words with the PRP chairman, citing Bello’s age as a reason for restraint.

“Most of us who left the PRP are young people, and we would not want to join issues with a 71-year-old national chairman, who we hold in high esteem. Those who came to the SDP last Wednesday were representatives of defectors nationwide; it was not necessary for all of us to travel to Abuja,” he said.

When Daily Trust asked him for the full list of all the members of the PRP Gubernatorial Candidates’ Forum that defected to the SDP, Makarfi said in a chat: “We went to the National Secretariat (of SDP) with the following representatives: Rivers (Emiyare Etete), Enugu (Elder Chris Agu), Anambra (Anthony Umeh), Jigawa (Capt. Ahmed Kaugama), Kwara (Abdulkareem Mustapha) and Kaduna (himself).”

Quizzed further on the identities of the other members of the forum he and the five others represented, he said: “The others may include: Kebbi, Gombe, Nasarawa and Plateau. We are still doing our consultations and will soon round up.”

He maintained that the move was well thought out, adding that the 2027 election results would validate their decision.

“We appreciate the opportunity given to us by the PRP, but we have the right to associate with any party of our choice. The future will tell whether we made the right decision,” Makarfi added.

Experts weigh in

Dr Kabiru Sufi, a lecturer at the Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, said the PRP’s historical significance makes its recent crisis more alarming.

“The PRP has always been associated with progressives. The defection of its gubernatorial candidates is a serious blow, especially considering the party’s internal divisions even before this episode,” Sufi said.

He predicted further defections across the opposition space, stating that more political figures may switch allegiances as 2027 approaches.

Similarly, Professor Sadeeque Abba, a political scientist and former deputy vice chancellor at the University of Abuja, described party defections as a normal political evolution.

“Political parties are not static institutions; they expand and contract over time. The movement from PRP to SDP is part of a broader trend of realignments ahead of the 2027 elections,” Abba explained.

He noted that dissatisfaction with party structures and governance failures often drive such shifts, adding that PRP’s inability to secure a strong presence in the National Assembly has left it politically vulnerable.

“If PRP had even five senators in the National Assembly, it would have had a stronger voice. But coming eighth in the 2023 presidential race shows its current limitations,” Prof. Abba added.