Social Democratic Party (SDP) leaders have come out swinging against former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, warning the public that he is not a member of the party and has no authority to represent or speak on its behalf at any forum.
Rising from a press briefing in Kaduna on Friday, North-West Zonal Secretary of the SDP, Inuwa Idris, condemned El-Rufai’s recent appearances at policy dialogues and strategy meetings where he allegedly positioned himself as a mouthpiece of the party. Idris described El-Rufai’s conduct as “unauthorised, deceptive, and a gross violation of political decorum.”
According to Idris, El-Rufai is not listed in any official SDP membership register, has never attended the party’s programs, and holds no formal role or mandate. “He is not recognised by our national leadership, including Acting Chairman Dr. Sadiq Umar and National Secretary Chief Olu Agunloye,” he stressed.
The party also passed a vote of no confidence on El-Rufai, calling his actions a desperate attempt to hijack the SDP platform and gain political relevance. Idris emphasized that any further impersonation would lead to the formation of a disciplinary committee under the powers of the National Executive Council (NEC) to expose all actors involved.
In a related development, the SDP also called for the immediate suspension of Dr. Umar Ardo, accusing him of using the SDP platform to promote the African Democratic Alternative (ADA), a new political movement. Idris described Ardo’s tactics as a “crass display of failure and political brinkmanship.”
The SDP reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, stressing that all official communication and policy engagement must come through verified party representatives whose identities would be publicly disclosed on request. Idris urged stakeholders to disregard any statements issued by El-Rufai or Ardo using the SDP’s name.
Reactions to the statement have been swift on social media, with many questioning El-Rufai’s next political move after months of speculation about his strained relationship with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which recently dismissed him as “sulking and selfish” over his attacks on the Tinubu-led administration.
