SDP bans El-Rufai from party for 30 years

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has banned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from the membership of the party for a period of 30 years.

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This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Araba-Aiyenigba, in Abuja, seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

A conflict had earlier ensued between the party’s national leadership and the Kaduna chapter, which affirmed Mr El-Rufai as a registered member.

The party’s North-West Zonal Secretary, Inuwa Idris, on Friday at a press conference in Kaduna, had disowned Mr El-Rufai.

He insisted the former governor was neither a registered member of the SDP nor authorised to speak for the party

But in a swift rebuttal, the Kaduna State chapter issued a press release on Friday describing Mr Idris’ statement as “baseless” and “a propaganda attempt to discredit” the former governor.

According to the statement signed by the state chairman, Nasiru Maikano, Mr El-Rufai is “not only a bonafide member but also a major stakeholder” in the party and is officially listed as member number 001 in the SDP membership register of Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area.”

The ban

According to the latest statement of Monday, Mr El-Rufai has been “banished and banned from applying for membership, identifying with the name, insignia, or logo of the SDP, or participating in any of its activities for 30 years, with immediate effect.”

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”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, 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.

“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.

READ ALSO: SDP Kaduna, North-West zonal leaders clash over El-Rufai’s membership status

“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.

“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 an 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.”

Efforts by this reporter to get Mr El-Rufai’s comment were unsuccessful on Monday as his known telephone number and that of his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, could not be reached.