2027 Politics: SDP expels El-Rufai

In what appears to be a Nollywood series, a factional leadership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has announced the expulsion and 30 year ban of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai from the party.

A statement by the party’s spokesman, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, says the action by the SDP’s National Working Committee, NWC, is in line with the party’s constitution, ideology, manifesto, principles, and practices, as well as in consonance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act pertaining to the exclusive rights of a political party to determine its membership.

The party therefore warns members against associating with El-Rufai and those who don’t represent its interest.

“El-Rufai is hereby banished and banned from applying for membership, identifying with the name, insignia, logo, symbol, mark, or any activities, organs, agencies, and institutions of the SDP or donating to, supporting, contributing to, or participating in any affairs of the SDP for a period of 30 years effective from today,” the statement reads.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has swiftly reacted to the development which they are now celebrating as a victory for President Tinubu and the ruling APC.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, wrote: “Internally Displaced Again!” to mock El-Rufai.

Since joining the SDP after leaving APC, some members of the party have been resisting the membership of El-Rufai who is also a key member of the opposition coalition which recently adopted the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as its platform ahead of the 2027 election.

However, the leaders of the opposition parties including the newly formed coalition, ADC, have pointedly accused the Presidency and APC of orchestrating crises in different parties in order to make way for APC to be the only contestant for the presidency in 2027, an allegation they have denied.