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By Oscar Okhifo
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has slammed a 30-year suspension on former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of forgery, impersonation, and conduct considered injurious to the party’s unity and integrity.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) declared that El-Rufai has never been a registered member of the SDP at the ward level but falsely presented himself as one.
According to the NWC, El-Rufai allegedly forged party membership documents and unilaterally assigned himself the membership number “001” in the Unguwar Sarki Ward of Kaduna North Local Government Area, without proper registration or authorisation.
The party described his actions as gross misconduct and a calculated attempt to destabilize its structure.
It further accused him of trying to hijack the party’s internal mechanisms and of engaging in unauthorized negotiations with other political parties, efforts the NWC claimed were aimed at dragging the SDP into unapproved mergers or coalitions.
As part of the disciplinary measures, El-Rufai has been barred from all party-related activities until July 28, 2055. This includes holding any party office, using the party’s branding, or making public statements on its behalf.
The SDP also cautioned the general public, including institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to disregard any representation or action made by El-Rufai in the name of the party.
However, the suspension has laid bare divisions within the party. While the North-West zonal leadership backed the NWC’s decision and described El-Rufai as an impostor, the Kaduna State chapter rejected the claim, insisting that El-Rufai is duly registered in the Unguwar Sarki Ward and remains a respected stakeholder.
As of the time of filing this report, El-Rufai had yet to issue any official response to the suspension or the allegations levelled against him.