•Why SDP disowned El-Rufai, banished him for 30 years
By Henry Umoru & Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has stated that the rising opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress, ADC, will not be centred on particular person political gladiators like himself, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi or Nasir El-Rufai, however on rescuing Nigeria’s democracy from what he described because the ruling celebration’s creeping authoritarianism and manipulation of the electoral course of.
The media has been awash with speculations of looming battle for the coalition’s 2027 presidential ticket among the many political figures.
Atiku made the remarks by way of his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe.in an unique interview with Vanguard in Abuja yesterday.
He burdened that the coalition’s central objective is to guard the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy, which he stated is below risk from the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration.
“This isn’t an anti-Tinubu mission; it’s a pro-Nigerian motion. Nigerians have to be the last word beneficiaries of this effort,” he acknowledged.
The 2023 presidential candidate spoke because the Nationwide Working Committee, NWC,of the Social Democratic Social gathering, SDP, stated it has disowned the instant previous Kaduna State Governor, El-Rufai and banished him for 30 years for not registering with the SDP and dragging the celebration into the Coalition.
APC laying rigging landmines – Atiku
Atiku alleged that the ruling celebration was already laying the groundwork to rig the 2027 elections, citing the controversial appointment of a former Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, official, who beforehand headed the IT division, as APC nationwide chairman.
“The appointment of a former REC of INEC because the APC nationwide chairman is deeply troubling. This isn’t simply any bizarre REC; that is somebody who held a strategic place, reminiscent of heading the Info Expertise (IT), Division of INEC.
“This transfer clearly signifies that the ruling celebration will not be fascinated with successful elections by way of due course of or on the energy of their efficiency throughout their first mandate. As a substitute, they’re laying the groundwork to rig the upcoming election,” he stated.
Atiku burdened the necessity for unity amongst opposition events and leaders, warning that “any inner divisions would profit those that intend on clinging to energy, those that oppose us, those that want to keep the established order, search to take advantage of any cracks inside our ranks, turning them into craters. We can not afford this. Unity is our energy; after we stand collectively, it turns into troublesome for anybody to sow seeds of discord,” he stated.
“This isn’t about particular person leaders like Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, or others throughout the coalition. It’s concerning the well-being and way forward for Nigeria. It’s about enabling Nigerians to get better and rebuild their nation. That is the essence of our mission, and we should remind ourselves of it each day as we work collectively.
“Our mission is about enabling Nigerians to get better and rebuild their nation. It’s essential to maintain these objectives in thoughts and keep away from the error of counting our chickens earlier than they’re hatched,” he warned.
SDP disowns El Rufai, banishes him for 30 years
In the meantime, the SDP stated it has expelled and banished Mallam el-Rufai, who reportedly deserted APC and joined the celebration on March 10, 2025 as a result of he had been parading himself as a member of the SDP regardless of the assertion of the Kaduna State Executives that he had not joined the SDP however had as an alternative been selling the actions of one other political celebration within the state.
In an announcement by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, yesterday, the celebration stated that el-Rufai did not register at his Ward as required by the legislation regardless of publishing on social media that he had joined the SDP.
The assertion learn partially: “Consistent with the Structure of the SDP, the ideology, manifesto, rules and practices thereof, and in consonance with the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act pertaining to the unique proper of a political celebration to find out its membership, the Nationwide Working Committee deliberated on the controversial membership standing of Nasir el-Rufai from Kaduna State who has in latest months been parading himself as a member of the SDP regardless of the assertion of the Kaduna State Executives that he has not joined the SDP however has as an alternative been selling the actions of different political celebration within the state.
“On the preliminary stage, el-Rufai was given the advantage of the doubt given his standing as an aged particular person, a former Minister and State Governor who ought to know the implications of false illustration and impersonation, particularly given the truth that he printed on his social media handles that he had joined the SDP which led to congratulatory messages from distinguished leaders of our celebration and a letter of assist at his request by the Nationwide Publicity Secretary.
“Nonetheless upon thorough inquiry, it turned out that the Kaduna State SDP was proper and this particular person had not joined the SDP. The next details emerged:
“El-Rufai did not register at his Ward as required by the legislation regardless of falsely publishing on social media that he had joined the SDP;
“El-Rufai devoted a lot time to placing up false illustration of membership by in search of picture alternatives with the suspended Nationwide Chairman Shehu Musa Gabam and a few leaders of the SDP who assumed that he had joined the SDP in Kaduna State.”
Claiming that el-Rufai’s inclusion within the SDP membership register of Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Native Authorities Space with quantity 001 was false and opposite to all current and up to date data of the SDP in Kaduna State, the celebration alleged that el-Rufai was buying and selling with the title of SDP within the ADC-backed coalition and different political fora, which it described as destabilising.
“The NWC subsequently and hereby decides that by confirming and ratifying the denunciation of Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai which was earlier completed by his Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Native Authorities Space and Kaduna State Government Committee in Kaduna State, the SDP in any respect ranges disassociates, disclaims, disfellowships, excommunicates Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai as a member of the SDP; and to the extent that he purportedly claims membership by self registration or some other means, Nasir Ahmad Elrufai is consequently expelled from the membership of the Social Democratic Social gathering anyplace in Nigeria and globally.
“The foregoing actions by the NWC, that are within the train of its unique powers as assured in Article 19.1; 19.3(i) and 19.5 of the Social gathering Structure 2022, (as amended) are consequent upon the unacceptable acts of gross indiscipline of Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, significantly, in respect of the indisputable fact of getting publicly declared for the ADC, which is chosen as their so-called ‘coalition’ car and his confirmed acts in direction of dragging the SDP dishonestly into their so-called coalition by way of the again door; and his egocentric agenda to destabilise the celebration (having failed in his mission), by means of sponsoring a bunch of dissidents to name an unlawful Nationwide Government Committee, NEC, assembly of the Social gathering on Friday July 25, 2025, Nasir Ahmad Elrufai is hereby banished and banned from making use of to the membership, figuring out with the title, insignia, emblem, image, mark or any actions, organs, businesses and establishments of the SDP or donating to, supporting, contributing to, collaborating in any affairs of the SDP for a interval of 30 (thirty) years efficient from right now.”
The put up 2027: Coalition about Nigeria, not me, Obi, El-Rufai, Amaechi — Atiku appeared first on Vanguard News.
