The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is facing internal rifts after its State Chairmen Forum publicly rejected a meeting in Abuja that was allegedly staged without due process and blamed on former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai — www.naijnaira.com reports.
In a follow-up press briefing covered by The Guardian, Forum chairman Femi Olaniyi Ferrari made it clear that the gathering lacked official backing from the party’s National Working Committee and was not recognized by any legitimate structure within the party.
Ferrari claimed El-Rufai deceived some party members into attending the session, which he labeled “reckless, invalid and unconstitutional.”
He stated: “We were neither informed nor involved. That meeting was unauthorized and without quorum.”
The party insists El-Rufai holds no membership status, having been suspended by the Kaduna State SDP over what they said were false affiliations.
Ferrari emphasized that loyalty remains with the elected leadership from the June 2022 convention, including Shehu Musa Gabam and Dr. Olu Agunloye.
While reaffirming support for the current acting chairman, Dr. Sadiq Abubakar Umar, the Forum urged fair treatment for any state officials misled into attending the disputed event.
He appealed: “Those who were duped must not be punished like those who plotted it.”
The group called for full investigations into what it termed an embarrassment engineered for selfish political ends.
He added that their signatures had been misused in fake documents submitted to INEC, prompting formal complaints to both the electoral body and the party headquarters.
The SDP clarified it is not part of any political coalition recently mentioned in the media and warned the public to disregard any such links.
Meanwhile, in a separate address in Kaduna, SDP North West Zonal Secretary Idris Inuwa accused El-Rufai of impersonating party officials during public appearances.
Inuwa stated: “Mallam El-Rufai is not a member, has never been, and cannot speak for us.”
The party dismissed El-Rufai’s comments made at political events as fraudulent, saying he appeared alongside people with no ties to SDP.
“There’s no record of El-Rufai in our database. His name has never appeared on our registers,” Inuwa said firmly.
He also pointed to appearances by El-Rufai at events under the SDP banner as deliberate impersonation without consent or mandate.
SDP leadership demanded media houses and stakeholders disregard any statement issued by El-Rufai or his associates under the party’s name.
The zonal leaders also condemned Dr. Umar Ardo for allegedly using the SDP platform to promote a rival group, the African Democratic Alternative.
Labeling Ardo’s behavior as “desperate,” they passed a vote of no confidence on him and El-Rufai.
Inuwa concluded: “If these actions continue, the NEC will establish a panel to publicly document and expose every detail of their misconduct.”
Article updated 1 month ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
