Politics
JUST IN: SDP Slams 30-Year Ban On El-Rufai
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken a hard stance against former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, by expelling him from the party for 30 years.
This move comes after the party accused him of falsely claiming to have joined the SDP and of forging party documents to back his claims.
This decision was announced on Monday by Ambassador Rufus Araba Aiyenigba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, who stated that El-Rufai is “banished and banned from applying for membership, identifying with the name, insignia, or logo of the SDP, or participating in any of its activities for 30 years, with immediate effect.”
READ MORE: More Cracks In PDP As Kaduna Deputy Gov Candidate Dumps Party
The SDP said El-Rufai failed to complete the standard party registration process at the ward level but still went on to announce his membership on social media.
The party also accused him of manipulating the public by posing for photographs with suspended SDP officials, in what they described as an attempt to validate his claims.
“El-Rufai never registered with the SDP at his ward level as required by the party’s constitution, yet falsely declared on social media that he had joined the party,” the party explained.
“He further forged documents claiming membership and took photo opportunities with suspended party leaders to reinforce this falsehood.”
Following a detailed investigation, the party leadership confirmed that El-Rufai had not fulfilled any formal requirement to become a member.
“At the initial stage, this individual Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai was given the benefit of the doubt given his status as an elderly person, a former Minister and State Governor who should know the implications of false representation and impersonation,” the statement noted.
The probe revealed further discrepancies, particularly regarding El-Rufai’s self-assigned membership identity.
“Rather than register lawfully with the Ward Executives, this individual simply forged his own documents and self-registered and arrogated to himself ‘number 001 in the SDP membership register of Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area’, as if the Ward had no single member prior to his purported joining,” the party disclosed.
In addition to fabricating his membership, the SDP pointed to El-Rufai’s past actions while serving under the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing him of hostility toward the SDP during his time in office.
“El-Rufai was confronted by serious eligibility problems given an unpleasant history of intolerance and persecution of the SDP as an opposition party during his time as the Governor of Kaduna State under the APC,” the statement said.
The party further alleged that El-Rufai attempted to stage a grand welcome at the SDP National Secretariat in Abuja, which was rejected.
“Apparently to run away from his past, El-Rufai proposed an elaborate welcome ceremony… but was politely counseled that such a jamboree was not tenable,” Aiyenigba said.
“Having confirmed that he publicly declared for the ADC and continued to act in a manner contrary to the principles and practices of the SDP, the party has no option but to disassociate and excommunicate him,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai’s former party, the APC, reacting to the incident, described him as “sulking and selfish.”
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
SEE ALSO: JUST IN: PDP Crisis Deepens as Appeal Court Upholds Ban on Ibadan Convention
According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a significant setback to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing his appeal challenging a Federal High Court ruling that questioned his eligibility to contest the upcoming governorship election.
A three-member panel delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, affirming that the trial court acted correctly when it allowed Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the plaintiff, to amend his originating summons.
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Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, said the governor failed to show that the High Court’s decision caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appeal was therefore dismissed for lacking merit, and the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Aiyedatiwa.
The ruling reinforces the November 24, 2025, Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo permission to challenge Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa to set aside a January 27, 2026, order staying proceedings in the case before the Federal High Court.
The appellate court clarified that the stay was a lawful exercise of its jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
The panel further emphasized that attempting to overturn its own order would be akin to sitting on appeal over its own decision.
The governor’s remaining option, the court noted, is to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. Another ₦2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has deepened following a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld a ban on the party’s proposed national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A three-man panel of the appellate court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear a suit concerning the controversial convention.
The Turaki-led faction had approached the Court of Appeal after a Federal High Court barred the party from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2025.
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The lower court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or validating the proposed convention.
However, delivering judgment, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had the authority to entertain the case, rejecting the argument that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party.
According to the court, the appellants could not present what it described as a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as merely an internal party issue.
The panel subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded a cost of N2 million against the appellants.
The ruling is part of judgments delivered in nine harmonised appeals filed by the Turaki-led faction over the dispute surrounding the convention.
The latest court decision is expected to further intensify the internal wrangling within the opposition party as it continues to grapple with leadership disputes and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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