Just in: Presidency reacts after SDP expels El‑Rufai

The Presidency has broken its silence following the dramatic expulsion of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Presidential adviser, Bayo Onanuga, posted a cryptic but telling comment on X: “Internally displaced again!”,  a clear jab many believe was aimed squarely at El-Rufai, who recently dumped the ruling APC for the SDP.

Earlier, the SDP’s National Working Committee announced that El-Rufai had been expelled for allegedly violating the party’s constitution and forging registration documents. The party also slammed a 30-year ban on him.

The move shocked many, considering El-Rufai had only declared for the party in March and was already being linked to a 2027 presidential ambition.

SDP leaders accused him of trying to hijack the party from within by aligning with political interests outside the party’s structure. The party said his conduct showed “total disregard for due process.”

Now with the Presidency responding publicly, the expulsion has taken on a new dimension, one that hints at deeper political cracks and 2027 power plays.