The Social Democratic Party (SDP) disowns former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, denying his membership and affiliation completely.
During a press briefing in Kaduna, North-West Zonal Secretary Inuwa Idris addressed what he called misleading claims by Mr El-Rufai.
According to Idris, El-Rufai has appeared at political forums falsely representing SDP without any official authorisation or party backing.
The SDP leadership stressed that El-Rufai holds no role within the party and has never received any official appointment.
“He is not registered in our membership records, nor has he participated in our programmes or internal affairs,” Idris clarified.
Idris emphasized that El-Rufai’s actions lack approval from acting National Chairman Dr Sadiq Umar or Secretary Olu Agunloye.
He advised Nigerians to disregard any political statements issued under the SDP name by individuals not officially recognized.
Idris reaffirmed the party’s legitimate leadership under Dr Umar, National Secretary Agunloye, and 2023 presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo.
He also issued a vote of no confidence on El-Rufai, warning against continued impersonation or misuse of the party’s platform.
Furthermore, Idris accused Dr Umar Ardo of promoting a new party, the ADC, while fraudulently using SDP as a front.
“The desperation shown is a betrayal of political ethics and will not be tolerated by our national leadership,” Idris said firmly.
He added that SDP may convene a special NEC committee to investigate and expose these activities across all media platforms.
All official engagements must now go through approved party representatives whose identities are available for public verification on request.
When contacted, El-Rufai stated membership records are kept at the ward and national levels—not by zonal officers.
He claimed the disownment was driven by party reform resistance, alleging that government-aligned actors were sabotaging SDP’s realignment.
