The national working committee (NWC)of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) says it has expelled Nasir el-Rufai, the former Kaduna governor, from the party.
In a statement issued on Monday, Araba Aiyenigba, the national publicity secretary of the SDP, said el-Rufai is ineligible to associate with the party in any capacity for the next 30 years.
According to Aiyenigba, the former governor is accused of falsely parading himself as a party member, manipulating internal processes, and attempting to destabilise the party through unconstitutional actions and deceptive political manoeuvres.
He added that the party’s NWC decided following thorough investigations into El-Rufai’s controversial claims of membership and what they described as “alleged backdoor political activities”, which have fuelled internal divisions and threatened the party’s unity and ideological integrity.
“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,” the statement reads.
“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, 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.
“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 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 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.”
Ayenigba also accused the former Kaduna governor of aligning with another political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), allegedly attempting to draw the SDP into an unapproved political coalition.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant institutions to take note of El-Rufai’s non-member status, warning that he is not authorised to act or speak on behalf of the party.
