A magistrate court in Keffi, Nasarawa State, has remanded five loyalists of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in prison, further deepening the leadership crisis within the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The move comes amid accusations of political witch-hunts and false claims, as the court’s decision on Tuesday saw prominent figures like Nuradeen Bisala, FCT SDP chairman; Humphrey Onwukaeze, deputy chairman; Eluwa Ifeanyi Henry, national youth leader; Chief Solsuema Osaro, national legal adviser; and Dr. Ekpenyong Ambo, national secretary, sent to Keffi correctional facility pending their bail application hearing on Friday.
These five individuals are members of the factional National Working Committee (NWC) led by Adamu Abubakar Modibbo. This faction emerged on July 22, 2025, following their purported dissolution of the Shehu Gabam-led NWC. Aligned with El-Rufai, the Modibbo-led faction has publicly vowed to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Ambassador Judith Shu’aibu, spokesperson for the Modibbo faction, accused the Gabam-led NWC of orchestrating the arrests, alleging they falsely claimed a break-in at the party secretariat. “Police went to investigate but found no evidence.
Anyone can visit the secretariat and see for themselves,” Shu’aibu stated. She described the arrests as unlawful and likened them to “a kidnap,” noting that the accused were denied bail. Shu’aibu further claimed that allegations by key figures in the Gabam camp were baseless, asserting, “They’ve been pushing false narratives online to justify these arrests. This is all an attempt to discredit the new NWC.”
The crisis escalated earlier in the week when the Gabam-led faction announced the expulsion of El-Rufai from the party and banned him for 30 years. This drastic move, however, has been swiftly dismissed by El-Rufai’s camp as illegitimate. Malam Ibrahim Husseini, a former commissioner in El-Rufai’s administration, derided the expulsion as a “joke,” questioning the party’s prominence before the former governor’s involvement. He emphasized that El-Rufai remains focused on national development, stating, “He’s not distracted. He’s working. Nigeria is his priority.”
Hafsat Muhammad Baba, another former commissioner and El-Rufai ally, confirmed the former governor’s registered SDP membership in Unguwar Sarki, Kaduna. She dismissed the expulsion as “political mischief,” highlighting that “there’s no provision for a 30-year ban in the party’s constitution. This is just desperation.” Baba accused unnamed actors of exploiting economic hardship to propagate false narratives, asserting, “They think money can destabilise him, but he’s strong, active, and focused on national reform.” She concluded by stating that El-Rufai has not left the country in two months and remains committed to Nigeria, while those behind the scandal are “only chasing selfish gains.”
