El-Rufai remains banned for 30 years, SDP chairs insist

El-Rufai’s 30-Year Ban from SDP: A Deepening Rift in Nigeria’s Third-Force Politics

In a dramatic reaffirmation of internal party discipline, the Forum of 37 State Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has reiterated that former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, remains banned from the party for a period of 30 years.

This declaration, made during a recent conference in Abuja, underscores the intensifying factional crisis within Nigeria’s oldest surviving third-force political platform.

The controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s status in the SDP dates back to July 2025, when the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) expelled him.

The NWC accused El-Rufai of falsely presenting himself as a member of the party, forging registration documents, and attempting to manipulate internal structures through unconstitutional means.

These allegations culminated in a sweeping decision to bar him from any form of association with the SDP until 2055.

Femi Olaniyi, chairman of the forum of state chairmen, emphasized that the expulsion was not only legitimate but irreversible. He stated that El-Rufai had joined the party “from the back door,” bypassing the proper channels of registration through ward and state structures.

Olaniyi insisted that the NWC’s decision had the full backing of the forum and was “not questionable,” reinforcing that El-Rufai “still remains expelled.”

This reaffirmation comes amid swirling rumors that El-Rufai was plotting a return to the SDP ahead of its next national convention.

However, the forum’s stance appears to be a preemptive move to quash any such ambitions and maintain the integrity of the party’s internal processes.

The broader implications of this ban are significant. The SDP is currently embroiled in a bitter internal struggle, with rival factions accusing each other of corruption, illegitimacy, and political manipulation.

The forum of state chairmen has called for a “clinical surgery to excise the cancer of Gabamism,” a reference to the faction loyal to suspended National Chairman Shehu Gabam. This rhetoric signals a deepening divide that could lead to prolonged legal and political battles within the party.

Efforts to obtain a response from El-Rufai’s camp have so far been unsuccessful. His Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, did not respond to calls or messages as of press time.

The SDP’s internal crisis and the high-profile expulsion of El-Rufai reflect the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s alternative political platforms.

As the country approaches another election cycle, the ability of third-force parties like the SDP to present a united front and offer credible alternatives to the dominant political parties remains uncertain.