By Zainab Rauf The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expelled former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, and barred h...
By Zainab Rauf
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expelled former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, and barred him from participating in the affairs of the party for a period of 30 years, accusing him of impersonation, gross misconduct, and attempts to destabilize the party from within.
In a strongly worded press statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the SDP National Working Committee (NWC) said El-Rufai falsely claimed membership of the party without undergoing any formal registration process at the ward level, a requirement mandated by the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
“Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai failed to register at his Ward as required by the law despite falsely publishing on social media that he had joined the SDP,” the statement read. “Rather than register lawfully with the Ward Executives, this individual simply forged his own documents and self-registered and arrogated to himself 'number 001 in the SDP membership register of Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area.'”
The party said it initially gave El-Rufai the benefit of the doubt, citing his past positions as a minister and state governor, but subsequent findings revealed that he had not joined the party through any legal channel.
According to the NWC, El-Rufai's actions included “illegitimately trading with the name of the SDP in various forums and political transactions” and seeking to drag the party “dishonestly into a so-called coalition through the back door.”
The statement also alleged that the former governor had been “sponsoring a group of dissidents to call an illegal National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Party” scheduled for Friday, July 25, 2025, and that his conduct had led to widespread disunity and tension within the party.
The NWC said the decision to expel El-Rufai was taken in accordance with Articles 19.1, 19.3(i), and 19.5 of the SDP Constitution (2022, as amended), which empower the committee to discipline members whose actions threaten the integrity and unity of the party.
“El-Rufai is hereby banished and banned from applying to the membership, identifying with the name, insignia, logo, symbol, mark or any activities, organs, agencies and institutions of the SDP or donating to, supporting, contributing to, or participating in any affairs of the SDP for a period of 30 years effective from today,” the statement declared.
The SDP further notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant authorities of El-Rufai’s “non-member status” and ineligibility to associate with the party until July 28, 2055.
Reaffirming its commitment to ideological clarity and internal democracy, the SDP stated: “We welcome all Nigerians who subscribe to these ideals… without cutting corners and indulging in duplicity or insincerity.”
Efforts to reach Nasir El-Rufai or his aides for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
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