Executive Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai speaks during an interview with Reuters in Kaduna, Nigeria November 1, 2016. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde - S1BEUKTKGYAA
The Kaduna State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has disowned former governor Nasir El-Rufai, stating that he is not a recognized member of the party.
Reports had surfaced that El-Rufai, alongside some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had defected to the SDP. The former governor cited a growing misalignment between his personal values and the APC’s current direction as his reason for leaving.
In a statement on his X handle, El-Rufai expressed disappointment with the APC leadership, accusing the party of abandoning its founding principles.
“As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with compatriots to merge parties and create the APC. Since 2013, I had hoped my personal values and those of the APC would remain aligned until I retire from politics,” he stated.
However, speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, the SDP’s Assistant National Secretary (Northwest Zone), Idris Inuwa, dismissed the reports, insisting that El-Rufai had not followed the proper process to join the party.
“It has come to our notice that certain individuals, including Nasir El-Rufai, are rumoured to have joined the SDP. However, neither the Kaduna North Local Government Chapter nor the leadership of Unguwar Sarki Ward has any record of their membership,” Inuwa said.
He advised El-Rufai and others interested in joining the party to adhere to the SDP’s membership procedures.
In addition, Inuwa reaffirmed the legitimacy of the Kaduna State Working Committee, rejecting its purported dissolution by the party’s National Secretariat. He described the move as unconstitutional and a violation of internal democracy.
“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,” he declared.
He emphasized that the committee was elected through a duly conducted State Congress and holds a four-year mandate that remains valid. According to him, the SDP constitution outlines a clear process for dissolving a State Executive Committee, including investigation, committee formation, and a fair hearing—none of which were followed.
Despite the controversy, Inuwa reiterated that the Kaduna SDP remains open to new members, provided they adhere to established guidelines.
