EVINCE UHUREBOR examines the current crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the implication of the expulsion of former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai from the party
The crisis bedeviling the Social Democratic Party (SDP) took a dramatic turn on July 28, following the expulsion of a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who is considered by many as one of SDP’s political asset. The suspension is a confirmation that all is not well with the party and it has also expanded the crisis in the party.
The party in a statement said that El-Rufai has been expelled and banned from its activities for the next 30 years. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, accused El-Rufai of impersonation, anti-party conduct and an attempt to destabilise the party.
He alleged that El-Rufai never registered with the party at ward level but falsely declared himself a member online using photo ops and allegedly forged documents to give the impression that he had joined the party.
The party also accused him of aligning with a suspended group of officials to drag the party into an unauthorized coalition. It said: “He declared for the ADC and went as far as trying to merge the SDP into a new coalition.
That goes against our principles. The party had no option but to disassociate and excommunicate him.” But what looked like a dramatic act of internal discipline quickly revealed itself as the tip of a much larger iceberg. Within hours of El-Rufai’s expulsion, the Kaduna State chapter of the SDP came out in strong opposition.
The state publicity secretary, Darius Kurah, in a statement accused the national leadership of scapegoating the former governor to distract from its own collapse. Kurah said: “What is happening is clearly the fallout of the NEC meeting held on July 25. At that meeting, the national chairman and secretary were both suspended for financial misconduct and replaced with a new national executive.
Those suspended are the same people behind this false narrative about El-Rufai’s expulsion. He remains not only a member in Kaduna SDP but a key stakeholder across the Northwest SDP.” While El-Rufai’s name made headlines, the deeper issue at hand was the bitter, unresolved power struggle ripping through the heart of the SDP.
Some insider sources said the party hierarchy is not happy with El-Rufai because he failed to convince the coalition to adopt the party. One of the sources noted that the leaders expected the former governor to be pushy in marketing the party as the best platform for the coalition.
They also expressed disappointment that after his failure to influence other major opposition leaders on the choice of SDP, El-Rufai continued to associate with the coalition under the platform the Africa Democratic Party (ADC). Although ElRufai did not respond to his expulsion by the SDP, fillers in his camp believed that he considered the action inconsequential and of no effect.
They believed that SDP has made his association with the ADC easy and it will now afford him the opportunity to concentrate on their strategies ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Before the expulsion of Mallam ElRufai, the party had on Tuesday, June 24, suspended its National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, National Auditor, Nnadi Clarkson, and National Youth Leader, Chukwuma Uchechukwu, over alleged financial misconduct and misappropriation of funds. The party claimed the mismanaged funds run into hundreds of millions of naira, including proceeds from 2023 nomination form sales and donations.
According to Aiyenigba, Gabam had submitted an unauthorised financial statement to INEC and published a summary in newspapers, prompting the party to alert law enforcement agencies. “This action reinforces our zero-tolerance stance on corruption. For a thorough investigation, an interim panel has been set up to audit all financial records and recommend appropriate disciplinary or legal steps.”
However, in a statement issued by Gamba media aide, Alhaji Lawal Ibrahim, it stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognizes Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as the authentic and substantive National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party.
It said: “The attention of the National Leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been drawn to recent disturbing and misleading actions propagated by a small group of individuals whose sole aim appears to be the destabilization of our great party. Chief among them is Dr. Olu Agunloye, who has consistently waged a campaign of misinformation, misrepresentation, and outright defiance of the constitution and founding ideals of the SDP.
“Let it be stated clearly and for the record that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the only constitutionally empowered body to regulate political parties in Nigeria, recognizes Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as the authentic and substantive National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party.
This official recognition puts to rest any attempt to mislead the public or manufacture confusion by individuals acting outside the bounds of the law and the party constitution.” The statement went on to paint the rivals as schemers and singled out Dr Agunloye.
“Contrary to efforts by Agunloye and a few disgruntled elements to portray a divided house, the SDP remains united, focused, and strong under the legitimate leadership of Gabam. The party has achieved significant milestones, including revitalizing its grassroots structures, increasing its visibility nationwide, and fostering a message of social justice and integrity.
These gains have been made possible by the tireless commitment of patriotic members who remain devoted to the SDP’s mission.” Gabam also cleared the air regarding the issue of coalition, saying: “Let it be made abundantly clear that the SDP is an independent political party.
The issue of any supposed coalition is a matter of the past, and the SDP is not part of any such coalition arrangement.” He then sought to calm nervous supporters nationwide, urging them to stay calm, vigilant, and steadfast amid the turmoil.
To justify Gabam’s position that he is the recognised National Chairman of the party, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected a letter introducing an Acting National Chairman for the party. The electoral body has also queried the legality of the move and demanded clarification from the substantive chairman.
In a memo dated July 5, 2025, signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the Commission stated that the letter dated June 25, 2025, allegedly signed by the party’s National Secretary, was not compliant with Part 2(12)3 of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.
INEC also noted that the signature on the letter did not match the specimen in its records. The letter in question introduced Dr. Sadiq Abubakar as Acting National Chairman, following the suspension of Gabam by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). INEC has now formally requested Gabam to confirm the authenticity of the controversial document.
INEC’s rejection of the acting chairman’s appointment and insistence on constitutional compliance has cast doubt on the legitimacy of the actions taken by the anti-Gabam faction. The Commission’s demand for confirmation from Gabam may signal institutional recognition of his continued leadership unless proven otherwise.
As the crisis lingers, there are strong indications that the SDP through it NWC is moving toward referring Gabam and two other suspended members to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution as they refused to appear before its probe panel. The five-member probe panel led by Air Vice Marshal Abubakar-Sadick Liman (rtd) presented its findings last week to the NWC.
According to the report, out of the three suspended officials, only the National Auditor appeared before the panel, while Gabam and Chukwuma failed to honor the invitation. The panel further claimed that it had obtained sufficient documentary evidence to proceed with disciplinary actions and possible criminal complaints.
However, Gabam’s camp has dismissed the panel as a “kangaroo committee”, saying it lacks constitutional authority and undermines an ongoing police investigation initiated by Agunloye’s petition. The immediate future of the party remains uncertain as its internal crisis drags on without resolution.
Both factions continue to assert legitimacy, yet no formal process—legal or otherwise have been initiated to settle the dispute. While neither side has approached the courts so far, the possibility of a legal action remains if ongoing efforts to manage the disagreement internally do not succeed.
However, attention is now focused on the INEC, which has already acknowledged receiving conflicting communications from party officials. Although the commission rejected one leadership submission on procedural grounds, it’s yet to make a definitive statement on which faction it officially recognizes.
That decision, when it comes, will be crucial in determining which group can speak for the party at the national level and perform key functions. As the battle for the soul of the SDP intensifies, political observers warn that the party’s 2027 ambitions could be seriously undermined if the leadership tussle is not swiftly and legally resolved. For now, the SDP stands at a crossroads.
Whether the party can restore internal order, gain regulatory clarity, and rebuild trust remains to be seen. The coming weeks are likely to be pivotal in determining whether the SDP can recover from this crisis or risk further fragmentation ahead of a critical political cycle.
