The Social Democratic Party has reaffirmed its decision to ban former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from the party for a period of thirty years.
The Forum of 37 State Chairmen of the party stated that there is “no going back” on the expulsion, which was initially ratified by the party’s National Working Committee.
The announcement comes amidst persistent rumours that Mr El-Rufai was making plans to rejoin the party ahead of its next national convention. However, the party’s state chairmen have moved to firmly close that door.
Speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Abuja, the forum’s Chairman, Femi Olaniyi, explained that Mr El-Rufai had initially joined the party incorrectly. “El-Rufai happened to join this party from the back door. If you recall our press conference on April 3, 2025, we clearly stated that anyone wishing to join the party should do so through their ward via the state chairman. We said they should join diligently, and we would welcome them,” Olaniyi stated.
He was unequivocal about the former governor’s current status within the SDP, noting that the party’s highest administrative body would provide further details on Mr El-Rufai’s activities. “However, the case of El-Rufai is not something we need to expatiate on now. The NWC will properly brief you on the role he played within the SDP system. But as earlier announced, the NWC, which we fully supported, has suspended El-Rufai for 30 years, and that decision is not questionable. So, he still remains expelled,” Olaniyi affirmed.
This development highlights the deep-seated divisions currently plaguing the SDP, which is Nigeria’s oldest surviving third-force political platform. The party is sharply divided into rival factions, with each side levelling accusations of corruption, illegitimacy, and political manipulation against the other.
The forum of state chairmen has expressed its position that the party must undergo what it describes as “a clinical surgery to excise the cancer of Gabamism,” a reference to the faction loyal to the suspended National Chairman, Shehu Gabam. The opposing camp continues to challenge this narrative, setting the stage for a prolonged legal and political confrontation that threatens the party’s stability.
Mr El-Rufai’s troubles with the SDP began in July of this year when the party’s National Working Committee took the decision to expel him. The party had accused the former governor of falsely presenting himself as a member, forging party registration documents, and attempting to manipulate the party’s internal structures through what it termed unconstitutional means.
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