IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor): „Information on the current status of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) [NGA26515.E]“, Dokument #1245101

Information on the current status of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) [NGA26515.E]

Information on the current status of Social Democratic Party (SDP) is scarce among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

The SDP was reported to have been dissolved by the military in 1993 (AFP 14 Dec. 1995). For additional information on the arrest of SDP leaders and dissolution of the party, please consult Responses to Information Requests NGA26095.E of 29 January 1996, NGA22250.E of 1 December 1995, NGA20624.E of 29 May 1995, NGA19995.E of 9 March 1995 and NGA18919.E of 8 November 1994, among others.

Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) members were sentenced to death and executed for allegedly murdering Chief E.N. Kobani, a former SDP national publicity secretary and MOSOP member (The Independent (6 Dec. 1995). Africa News reports that Alfred Rewane, an important financier of the SDP, was also murdered (June 1996). For additional information on the death of Alfred Rewane, please consult Response to Information Request 23888.E of 13 May1996.

While EIU ViewsWire reports that "mainstream factions from the former SDP and the National Republican Convention have reconstituted themselves into two broad constellations of parties, representing progressives and conservatives" (20 Feb. 1996), a The Week article states that General Abacha still has a former SDP chairman in his cabinet (15 July 1996). Reverend Bamidele Olumilua, a former SDP member and governor of Ondo State, and Ishola Filani, a former SDP party spokesperson, signed the manifesto to create the Nigeria Center Party (NCP) (AFP 8 June 1996). Matthew Mammah, a former SDP state-level chairman, was reported to not only hold the post of state coordinator in the Rivers State wing of the National Democratic Party, but also an NCP member (The Week 19 Aug. 1996). Dr. Abel Ubeku, chairman of the Committee for National Consensus, an officially recognized party, was a former SDP presidential candidate (Nigeria Today 28 Feb. 1997). The former SDP national secretary, Sule Amido was a member of Social Progressive Party, a political organization that unsuccessfully sought official party status (PANA 11 Oct. 1996).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Africa News. June 1996. "Nigeria Roundtable Condemns Assassination." (NEXIS)

Agence France Presse (AFP). 8 June 1996. "Nigeria: 28 Moderate Political Organizations Merge Into New Party." (FBIS-AFR-96-112 8 June 1996) [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

_____. 14 December 1995. "Politicians Meet to Discuss Army Transfer of Power." (FBIS-AFR-95-240 14 Dec. 1995) [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

EIU ViewsWire. 20 February 1996. "Nigeria: Country Update." (NEXIS)

The Independent [London]. 6 December 1995. "Statement on Saro-Wiwa Affair Released in London." (FBIS-AFR-95-235 6 Dec. 1995) [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

Nigeria Today. 28 February 1997. "Congress for National Consensus: Dr. Abel Ubeku, Chairman." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

Pan African News Agency (PANA). 11 October 1996. Paul Ejime. "Dejected Politicians Throw in the Towel." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

The Week [Lagos]. 19 August 1996. Wisdom Dike. "A Game for Clowns: Crisis Rocks Rivers State Branch of Arthur Nzeribe's National Democratic Party" (The Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)

_____. 15 July 1996. Louis Onyla. "Third Republic Was a Fraud." (NEXIS)

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