The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has rejected former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s claims of membership in the party and has announced his 30-year expulsion for acts of gross indiscipline and misrepresentation.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, made this known in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Monday. He said the decision followed a detailed report from the Kaduna State Executive Committee, which found that El-Rufai had neither registered at his ward nor met the party’s membership requirements.
“El-Rufai was initially given the benefit of the doubt due to his status as a former minister and governor,” Aiyenigba said. “However, investigations confirmed he failed to officially register with the party while falsely claiming membership on social media.”
The SDP accused El-Rufai of engaging in actions designed to mislead the public, including staging photo opportunities with party leaders and forging documents to present himself as “number 001” on the party’s ward register—implying he was the first member in his ward.
“His unauthorized use of the SDP name in political forums and destabilizing activities within the party have sown disunity and distrust among members,” the statement added.
The party also raised concerns over El-Rufai’s “intolerant” past attitude toward the SDP as an opposition party, which it said casts further doubt on the sincerity of his affiliation.
A proposed welcome ceremony in his honour at the SDP National Secretariat was canceled after it was deemed inappropriate and suspicious.
Citing Articles 19.1, 19.3(i), and 19.5 of the SDP Constitution (2022 as amended), the NWC stated that El-Rufai’s actions amounted to serious infractions and undermined the party’s integrity, hence the decision to expel him for 30 years.
