The National Working Committee of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expelled former Kaduna Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai from the party.
The SDP deemed El-Rufai unfit to associate with the party in any form for the next 30 years.
The party’s leadership accused him of falsely representing himself as a member, manipulating internal processes, and attempting to undermine the party by unconstitutional activities and deceitful political manoeuvres.
The National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba, confirmed this in a statement signed and made accessible to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.
According to him, the party’s NWC made the decision after conducting extensive investigations into El-Rufai’s contentious claims of membership and what they described as “alleged backdoor political activities” that fuelled internal divisions and jeopardised the party’s unity and ideology.
The statement read, ”El-Rufai never registered with the SDP at his ward level as required by the party’s constitution, yet falsely declared on social media that he had joined the party. He further forged documents claiming membership and took photo opportunities with suspended party leaders to reinforce this falsehood.
“In line with the Constitution of the SDP, the ideology, manifesto, principles, and practices thereof, and in consonance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 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 parties in the state.
“At the initial stage, this individual, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, was given the benefit of the doubt given his status as an elderly person, a former minister, and a state governor who should know the implications of false representation and impersonation, especially given the fact that he published on his social media handles that he had joined the SDP, which led to congratulatory messages from prominent leaders of our party and a letter of support at his request by the National Publicity Secretary.
“However, upon thorough inquiry, it turned out that the Kaduna State SDP was right, and this individual had not joined the SDP. The following facts emerged: 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.
“El-Rufai devoted so much time to putting up a false representation of membership by seeking photo opportunities with the suspended National Chairman Shehu Musa Gabam and some leaders of the SDP, who assumed that he had joined the SDP in Kaduna State; El-Rufai was confronted by serious eligibility problems given an unpleasant history of intolerance and persecution of the SDP as an opposition party during his time as the Governor of Kaduna State under the APC.”
The party also accused the former Kaduna governor of aligning with another political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while trying to draw the SDP into an unapproved political coalition.
SDP said, “Having confirmed that he publicly declared for the ADC and continued to act in a manner contrary to the principles and practices of the SDP, the party has no option but to disassociate and excommunicate him.
“Consequently, El-Rufai has been banished and banned from applying formembership, identifying with the name, insignia, or logo, or participating in any affairs of the SDP for a period of 30 years, effective immediately.”
The SDP urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant organisations to take note of El-Rufai’s non-member status, noting that he is not authorised to operate or speak for the party.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to internal democracy, national patriotism, and principled opposition, and asked any Nigerians seeking to join its ranks to do so in a lawful and transparent manner.
“Apparently to run away from his past, El-Rufai proposed an elaborate welcome ceremony at the SDP National Secretariat in Abuja but was politely counselled that such a jamboree was not tenable and he should go home to register at his ward in Kaduna State after passing a simple eligibility interview and onboarding process.
“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”, as if the Ward had no single member prior to his purported joining. This is contrary to all existing and updated records of the SDP in Kaduna State.”
El-Rufai recently resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress and joined the Social Democratic Party.
He cited a growing disconnect between his personal ideals and the APC’s current orientation as the main cause for his choice.
