A magistrate court in Keffi, Nasarawa State, has remanded five loyalists of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, deepening the leadership crisis within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) amid accusations of political witch-hunts and false claims.

Those remanded on Tuesday pending the hearing of their bail application on Friday include 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 and former Cross River SDP chairman.

The five are members of the factional National Working Committee (NWC) led by Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, which emerged on July 22, 2025, after they purportedly dissolved the Shehu Gabam-led NWC. The Modibbo-led faction, aligned with El-Rufai, has vowed to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking to Daily Trust, the spokesperson for the Modibbo faction, Ambassador Judith Shu’aibu, accused the Gabam-led NWC of orchestrating the arrests, claiming they falsely alleged a break-in at the party secretariat. “Police went to investigate but found no evidence. Anyone can visit the secretariat and see for themselves,” she said.

Shu’aibu described the arrests as unlawful and resembling “a kidnap,” noting that the accused were denied bail and transferred to Keffi correctional facility. “Their next court appearance is Friday,” she added.

She claimed the allegations by key figures in the Gabam camp were baseless, saying, “They’ve been pushing false narratives online to justify these arrests. This is all an attempt to discredit the new NWC.”

Ex-gov’s camp ‘unbothered’ by expulsion

The crisis escalated further on Monday when the Gabam-led faction announced the expulsion of El-Rufai from the party and banned him for 30 years—a move dismissed by El-Rufai’s camp as illegitimate.

Malam Ibrahim Husseini, a former commissioner in El-Rufai’s administration, described the expulsion as a joke. “Before Malam joined the SDP, who even heard of them?” he asked.

He said El-Rufai remained focused on national development: “He’s not distracted. He’s working. Nigeria is his priority.”

Hafsat Muhammad Baba, another former commissioner and El-Rufai ally, confirmed that the former governor is a registered SDP member in Unguwar Sarki, Kaduna. She dismissed the expulsion as political mischief, saying, “There’s no provision for a 30-year ban in the party’s constitution. This is just desperation.”

She accused unnamed actors of exploiting economic hardship to push false narratives. “They think money can destabilise him, but he’s strong, active, and focused on national reform,” she said.

“El-Rufai hasn’t left the country in two months. He’s committed to making Nigeria work. Those behind the scandal are only chasing selfish gains,” she added. (Daily Trust)