El-Rufai’s Alleged 30-Year Suspension from SDP — What We Now Know
Yesterday, our platform published a report citing claims that former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, had been expelled and banned for thirty years from all activities of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). That report was based on a circulating statement attributed to one Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, who claimed to be the National Publicity Secretary of the party.
However, fresh facts have since emerged, clarifying the true position of the SDP and exposing the initial report as misleading and unauthorized.
What Really Happened?
The statement announcing El-Rufai’s purported suspension did not originate from any legitimate organ of the SDP. According to an official counter-release by the Kaduna State Chapter of the party, the individual behind the suspension story, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, does not hold any official position within the party. Specifically, he is not the National Publicity Secretary as claimed. That role is occupied by Amb. Judith Shu’aibu, who remains the only constitutionally recognized spokesperson of the party at the national level.
In the party’s rebuttal, signed by Hon. Darius Kurah, Publicity Secretary of the SDP in Kaduna State, it was clearly stated that Mallam El-Rufai has not been issued any query, invited for any disciplinary hearing, nor served any expulsion notice from his ward, state chapter, or the National Working Committee.
This is significant, as the SDP constitution mandates a due process for all disciplinary actions involving any member — a process which, in this case, was completely bypassed.
The party has described the earlier statement as a politically motivated smear campaign designed to mislead the public and create confusion within the SDP. They warned that this kind of internal sabotage could jeopardize the party’s credibility and unity going forward.
Interestingly, the party also confirmed that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is a registered member of the SDP, having fulfilled all constitutional requirements, including ward-level registration. The report suggesting otherwise was described as a “fabrication.”
The counter-statement further indicated that the circulation of false claims under a forged office (i.e., someone impersonating a party official) is a defamatory act and could attract legal consequences if not immediately halted.
Our Position as a News Platform
As a responsible media outlet, we acknowledge that our initial report relied on an unauthorized source whose legitimacy has now been publicly discredited. In light of the party’s official statement, we hereby update our audience on the corrected facts and urge other media platforms to be wary of politically charged misinformation.
We remain committed to journalistic integrity, accuracy, and the dissemination of verified information, especially on matters as sensitive as political affiliations and party decisions.
