The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expelled former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and imposed a 30-year ban on him from affiliating with the party.
The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) said the decision was made in accordance with its constitution, guiding principles, and national laws, which empower political parties to determine their membership.
This development was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba.
The party cautioned its members and the general public against engaging with El-Rufai in any capacity related to the party, declaring that he holds no membership or representation within the SDP.
Additionally, the party called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant institutions to officially acknowledge that El-Rufai is not a member and remains ineligible for membership until July 28, 2055.
According to the NWC, its investigation revealed that El-Rufai had not officially joined the party, contrary to claims and online posts suggesting otherwise. The committee found that he had continued to present himself as a member and had been seen promoting the interests of other political parties.
“At the initial stage, 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 SDP was right that El-Rufai has not joined the SDP,” the party said.
The statement explained that despite his claims, El-Rufai did not complete ward-level registration, as required by law. Instead, he allegedly used misleading public displays and took photographs with party figures under the assumption that he had formally joined.
The party further accused El-Rufai of past hostility toward the SDP while he served as governor under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The NWC cited a number of violations that led to the disciplinary action.
“Rather than register lawfully with the ward executives, El-Rufai 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.
His dodgy membership status aside, he has been illegitimately trading with the name of the SDP in various forums and other political transactions around the so-called coalition, despite knowing that he has no such authority and contrary to the declared policy of the SDP National Working Committee and other organs.
Additionally, despite his opaque status, innumerable have been his destabilising schemes against the SDP at national, state and local levels, such that peace which was the hallmark of the party has eluded it since he began fraternising with our leadership and membership.
The obscene dangling of cash and other inducements and pure guile and utter deception, misinformation and disinformation have characterised his modus operandi leading to years of comradeship giving way to disunity, distrust, intrigues and manipulations, culminating in sponsorship and financing of grossly unconstitutional and brazenly bizarre pronouncements and gambits.
The NWC, therefore and hereby, decides that by confirming and ratifying the denunciation of El-Rufai, which was earlier done by his Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area and the Kaduna State Executive Committee in Kaduna, the SDP at all levels disassociates, disclaims, dis-fellowships and excommunicates El-Rufai as a member of the SDP. And to the extent that he purportedly claims membership by self registration or any other means, he is consequently, expelled from the membership of the Social Democratic Party anywhere in Nigeria and globally.
The foregoing actions by the NWC, which are in the exercise of its exclusive powers as guaranteed in Article 19.1; 19.3(i) and 19.5 of the party constitution 2022, (as amended) are consequent upon the unacceptable acts of El-Rufai’s gross indiscipline, particularly, in respect of the undeniable fact of having publicly declared for the ADC, which is chosen as their so-called ‘coalition’ vehicle and his confirmed acts towards dragging the SDP dishonestly into their so-called coalition through the back door; and his selfish agenda to destabilise the party, having failed in his mission, by way of sponsoring a group of dissidents to call an illegal National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party on Friday July 25, 2025.
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, participating in any affairs of the SDP for a period of 30 years effective from today.”
The statement closed with a reaffirmation of the party’s values.
“We welcome all Nigerians who subscribe to these ideals and have the revolutionary patience to move the Nigerian people towards the abolition of corruption and farewell to poverty and insecurity, without cutting corners and indulging in duplicity or insincerity,” the statement concluded.
