The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expelled former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, imposing a 30-year ban that bars him from associating with the party in any form or capacity.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba, the SDP said el-Rufai never officially registered as a member at the ward level, as stipulated by the party’s constitution.
Despite this, the former governor allegedly declared himself a member on social media and presented forged documents to support his claims.
The party accused el-Rufai of engaging in internal manipulation, misinformation, and a deliberate attempt to destabilise the SDP through unconstitutional and deceptive means.
“Having confirmed that he publicly declared for the ADC and continued to act contrary to SDP principles, the party has no option but to disassociate and excommunicate him,” the statement reads.
The SDP further alleged that el-Rufai aligned himself with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and tried to drag the SDP into an unauthorised political alliance. As a result, the party has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant institutions not to recognise him as an SDP member.
“Consequently, El-Rufai has been banished and banned from applying to the membership, identifying with the name, insignia, logo, or participating in any affairs of the SDP for a period of 30 years, effective immediately,” the statement reads.
The party added that its National Working Committee reached the decision after deliberating on el-Rufai’s “controversial membership status,” noting that despite repeated clarifications from its Kaduna State chapter that el-Rufai was never formally admitted into the party, he had continued to publicly parade himself as a member while promoting the activities of another political party.
“In line with the constitution of the SDP, the ideology, manifesto, principles and practices thereof, and consonance with the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, the electoral act pertaining to the exclusive right of a political party to determine its membership, the national working committee deliberated on the controversial membership status of Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai from Kaduna State who has in recent months been parading himself as a member of the SDP despite the assertion of the Kaduna state executives that he has not joined the SDP but has instead been promoting the activities of other political party in the state,” the statement added.
