The leadership crisis that has gripped the Social Democratic Party for months has now been settled with finality by the highest ...
The leadership crisis that has gripped the Social Democratic Party for months has now been settled with finality by the highest court in the land. On the 22nd day of May, 2026, the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a unanimous judgment that reaffirmed Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as the authentic National Chairman of the SDP. The apex court faulted and set aside Federal High Court Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2497/2025, which INEC had erroneously relied upon to recognize one Sadiq Umar Gombe as Chairman.
In clear terms, the Supreme Court held that the Federal High Court ought not to have entertained the matter in the first instance, being an internal party affair. This judgment puts to rest all controversies and confirms that Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam has been, is, and remains the legally recognized National Chairman of the SDP.
This Supreme Court pronouncement did not emerge in a vacuum. Earlier, on 27th March, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Appeal Nos. CA/ABJ/CV/126/2026 and CA/ABJ/CV/127/2026 had already reinstated Gabam as Chairman. The appellate court completely set aside the Federal High Court judgment of 19th January, 2026 that recognized Sadiq Abubakar Gombe, declaring that ruling “manifestly perverse” and made without jurisdiction.
By nullifying that decision, the Court of Appeal closed the legal controversy and restored lawful order in the SDP. The Supreme Court’s affirmation on 22nd May, 2026 is therefore a reinforcement of an already settled appellate position, leaving no room for doubt or mischief.
Following the Court of Appeal judgment, the Forum of SDP State Chairmen, led by Hon. Danlami Musa of Nasarawa State, issued a clear position reaffirming Gabam’s mandate. The Forum described the appellate decision as ending weeks of political uncertainty and deliberate misinformation about the party’s leadership. It condemned “reckless falsehoods and calculated mischief” by individuals still claiming Gombe remains chairman despite a superior court’s pronouncement. According to the Forum, the law has spoken, and the party is bound by judicial authority, not by the loud distortions of vested interests who profit from chaos.
The Social Democratic Party held its National Convention on 20th May, 2026 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja*, duly monitored by a three-man INEC team pursuant to Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2026 and the 1999 Constitution. At the Convention, delegates from the 36 states and the FCT were accredited from 11:00am and proceedings commenced at 2:40pm.
Key motions were moved and passed, including the dissolution of the former NWC, the conduct of elections, and the immediate swearing-in of new National Officers. A copy of the elected NWC is attached as Annexure 7 to the INEC report, and the process was presided over by the National Chairman, *Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam*, who was duly returned through delegate votes.
It is therefore false and misleading for *Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe* to parade himself as an officer of the SDP following this Convention. The records of the same INEC-supervised Convention show that Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe was specifically listed among 13 persons suspended and expelled from the Social Democratic Party by a motion moved and seconded at the Convention for gross violation of the Party Constitution and for engaging in activities prejudicial to the interest and integrity of the party. Other expelled persons include Dr. Olu Agunloye, Prince Adewole Adebayo, Joseph Achile Abu, Maggie Mariam Batubo, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, Rufus Ayienigba, Barr. Abimbola Aderemi, Oguchukwu Uba, Huseesini Bello, Alabi Lekan, Rosemary Effiong, and Comrade Abubakar Modibo. The motion is attached as Annexure 5.
In view of the foregoing, INEC as the statutory regulator and monitor of political party activities is urged to take judicial notice of its own report and annexures. The SDP National Convention of 20th May 2026 was valid, it elected and swore in a new NWC led by Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as National Chairman, and it expelled Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe and others. Any claim or action by Prof. Gombe purporting to act on behalf of the SDP is therefore null, void, and of no effect, and should not be recognized by the Commission or any stakeholder in the electoral process.
The Court of Appeal’s reasoning deserves public attention because it deepens democratic education for citizens and institutions alike. The justices found that the Federal High Court acted without jurisdiction and nullified its decision in its entirety. That means the 19th January, 2026 judgment holds “no weight, no authority, and no relevance whatsoever.” In law, a judgment given without jurisdiction is a nullity from inception. The Forum rightly noted that continuing to cite it is either gross ignorance of basic legal principles or a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and destabilize the SDP ahead of critical political activities.
More troubling is the Court of Appeal’s finding of alarming judicial misrepresentation. The Forum disclosed that certain actors, including Prince Adebayo Adewole and collaborators, allegedly relied on a “phantom judgment that never existed” to procure the flawed ruling at the lower court. This strikes at the very heart of judicial integrity and democratic order. When litigants manufacture non-existent decisions to sway courts, democracy itself is endangered. The Forum has called on security and law enforcement agencies to investigate all individuals involved in this alleged deception to protect the sanctity of the justice system.
This ruling is therefore bigger than SDP internal politics; it is a test case for institutional enforcement of court orders in Nigeria’s democracy. Judgments of superior courts are not advisory opinions. They bind all persons and authorities under Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution. The Independent National Electoral Commission, as the chief regulatory body for political parties, must immediately align its records and administrative actions with the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal pronouncements. Security agencies must also prevent impersonation of office and ensure that only Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam exercises the powers of National Chairman. Selective obedience to court orders breeds impunity.
The Forum of SDP State Chairmen has reaffirmed its total loyalty to Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, describing his leadership as “firm, lawful, and unshaken.” It warned that any further attempt to distort the appellate and Supreme Court judgments or impersonate authority within the SDP will attract immediate legal consequences. The SDP, the Forum insisted, is governed by law, order, and legitimacy, not by impostors or political merchants of confusion. Party members and the public have been urged to disregard contrary claims, because no amount of propaganda can overturn settled judgments of superior courts. The legal chapter on Gombe’s claim is closed.
This kind of impunity should not happen under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who has spent his life promoting and safeguarding the ideals of democracy in Nigeria. The President’s democratic credentials were forged in resistance to military rule and in the defense of the rule of law. Allowing vested interest groups to truncate party democracy and undermine valid court rulings would contradict the very values he has championed. Relevant authorities must act swiftly to enforce these judgments, not only to stabilize the SDP but to signal that Nigeria’s democracy will not tolerate judicial sabotage.
Enforcing the Supreme Court’s decision is now a democratic duty for INEC, security agencies, and all democratic stakeholders. The judgment is detailed, unambiguous, and final on the question of SDP’s chairmanship. For democracy to grow, court orders must mean what they say, and impunity must meet lawful consequences. With Gabam reinstated by the apex court, the path is clear for the SDP to function without legal encumbrances. Authorities must ensure that no individual or clique is allowed to hold the party, the law, or Nigeria’s democratic progress hostage through disinformation and disobedience.
The importance of ensuring stability and continuity in democracy cannot be overstated, especially in Nigeria where years of peace-building efforts by government at all levels remain fragile. Political parties are the foundation of democratic participation, and internal crises within them threaten the larger democratic order. When judicial pronouncements are ignored or twisted, it sends a dangerous signal that impunity is tolerated. Upholding the Supreme Court’s ruling on the SDP leadership is therefore not just about one party; it is about affirming that Nigeria’s democracy rests on law, order, and respect for institutions.
The SDP is one of the oldest political parties in Nigeria. It was the platform that the late M. K. O. Abiola rode to victory in the 1993 Presidential election, a mandate widely regarded as the freest and fairest in our democratic history. That election remains a symbol of national unity and the people’s will, and the SDP was at the heart of it. Since then, however, the party struggled for relevance and was almost brought to its knees by years of weak leadership.
That decline only began to reverse when Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam took over the mantle of leadership. Under his watch, the party regained direction and credibility, winning a significant number of seats in both the National and State Assemblies. His leadership restored confidence among members and voters, proving that the SDP could still be a viable platform for democratic expression.
In conclusion, the current turn of events, including the reported removal of Gabam’s name from the INEC portal after the clear and unambiguous Supreme Court judgment of 22nd May, 2026, calls for the urgent attention of the INEC National Chairman, Professor Amupitan. As a respected law professor who taught generations of students, he must not allow his reputation to be traded for personal or selfish gains. Democracy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, ought to have grown beyond this level of impunity.
The SDP Appeal Court and Supreme Court rulings must become a turning point against party impunity in Nigeria. Their full enforcement will reassure citizens that no one is above the law and that democracy is protected by institutions, not personalities. The survival of our democracy must remain non-negotiable.
Tayo, Writes From Ibadan Via
ayo.olaoluwa235@gmail.com
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