The Kaduna chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has disowned former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, stating that he is not a recognized member of the party. This comes after El-Rufai announced his departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing a growing misalignment between his personal values and the party’s current direction.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, expressed his disappointment with the party’s leadership, accusing them of straying from their founding principles. “As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with compatriots to merge parties and create the APC. Since 2013, I had hoped my personal values and those of the APC would remain aligned until I retire from politics,” he said.
However, the SDP’s Assistant National Secretary, Northwest Zone, Idris Inuwa, dismissed El-Rufai’s membership claims, stating that he had not followed the proper procedures. “It has come to our notice that certain individuals, including Nasir El-Rufai, are rumored to have joined the SDP. However, neither the Chairman of the Kaduna North Local Government Chapter nor the leadership of Unguwar Sarki ward has any record of these memberships,” Inuwa said.
Inuwa advised El-Rufai and others interested in joining the party to adhere to the SDP’s membership procedures. “We advise him and any other interested individuals to follow the proper procedures if they wish to officially become members of the party,” he said.
The Kaduna SDP also rejected the purported dissolution of the Kaduna State Working Committee, calling it unconstitutional and an affront to internal democracy. Inuwa emphasized that the committee was elected through a duly conducted State Congress and holds a four-year mandate that remains valid.
Despite the controversy, the Kaduna SDP remains open to new members, provided they adhere to established guidelines. “While we recognize the growing interest of individuals and groups in joining the SDP, we emphasize that there are well-defined guidelines and constitutional provisions governing membership admission,” Inuwa said.