KADUNA, Nigeria – The Kaduna State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has officially distanced itself from former governor Nasir El-Rufai, stating that he is not a recognised member of the party in the state.
This follows reports that El-Rufai, along with some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had defected to the SDP, citing dissatisfaction with the current leadership of the APC.
El-Rufai, who was a founding member of the APC, expressed his disappointment with the party’s direction in a statement shared on his X handle.
He accused the APC of straying from the progressive ideals it was originally founded upon.
“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. Since 2013, I have hoped that my personal values and those of the APC will continue to align until I choose to retire from politics,” he wrote.
However, during a press conference held in Kaduna on Friday, Idris Inuwa, the Assistant National Secretary for the Northwest zone of the SDP, clarified that there is no record of El-Rufai officially joining the party.
Inuwa referred to the reports of El-Rufai’s defection as merely a rumour, stating that neither the Chairman of the Kaduna North Local Government Chapter nor the leadership of the Unguwar Sarki ward had any record of El-Rufai’s membership.
“It has come to our notice that certain individuals, including Nasir El-Rufai, are being rumored to have joined the SDP. However, neither the Chairman of the Kaduna North Local Government Chapter in Kaduna State, nor the leadership of Unguwar Sarki ward, has any record of these memberships,” Inuwa explained.
Inuwa urged El-Rufai and others interested in joining the SDP to follow the proper procedures to formally become members.
He also rejected claims regarding the dissolution of the Kaduna State Working Committee of the SDP, calling it unconstitutional.
Inuwa argued that such actions violate the principles of due process and internal democracy within the party.
“The Kaduna State Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) categorically rejects the purported dissolution of the State Working Committee as contained in a letter from the National Secretariat dated 25 February, 2025,” Inuwa stated.
He further emphasised that the current State Executive Committee was formed through a legitimate State Congress and holds a valid four-year mandate.
The SDP’s constitution, according to Inuwa, outlines a clear process for dissolving a State Executive Committee, which includes an investigation, a committee setup, and a fair hearing.
He claimed that none of these procedures had been followed, calling the dissolution attempt an “illegal unilateral letter of dissolution.”
Inuwa concluded by reaffirming that the Kaduna State SDP remains open to all individuals who wish to join the party, provided they adhere to the established membership procedures.
The party, he said, is committed to ensuring a transparent and democratic process for new members.
