The leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) may have finally been laid to rest following Friday’s Supreme Court judgment affirming the Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe-led National Working Committee (NWC) and nullifying earlier pronouncements of the Court of Appeal on the party’s affairs.
Addressing journalists in Abuja after the apex court ruling, Gombe described the verdict as a victory for democracy, internal party discipline and the rule of law, while urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately remove the name of former National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, from its portal.
“The Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal acted without jurisdiction in making pronouncements on the leadership of the SDP. All pronouncements concerning me and the leadership of the party have been set aside,” Gombe said.
The apex court had struck out the suit challenging the SDP leadership and its Ekiti State governorship primary on grounds that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the action.
The court also set aside the Appeal Court judgment that invalidated the Ekiti governorship primary which produced Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alabi as the party’s candidate for the June 2026 governorship election.
Gombe further disclosed that the Supreme Court faulted the appellate court’s reliance on an INEC report relating to a purported parallel governorship primary involving Engineer David Oludele Bankole.
Insisting that political parties have constitutional powers to regulate their internal affairs, the SDP chairman said no institution has the authority to impose leadership on the party.
He argued that Gabam ceased to be a member of the SDP following disciplinary actions taken against him and ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Gombe also accused security agencies of meddling in the party’s internal affairs, alleging that police operatives escorted expelled members to the SDP national secretariat despite pending criminal cases against them.
He, however, praised the judiciary for demonstrating independence and restoring public confidence in the nation’s democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“With recent judgments, Nigerians are beginning to regain confidence in the judiciary. We hope the courts will continue to stand for justice, fairness and equity as the country approaches 2027,” he stated.
The SDP chairman assured party members that the leadership would remain committed to due process and strengthening the party’s structures nationwide.
He also thanked the media and supporters of the party for standing by the SDP throughout the legal dispute, declaring that “truth and justice have prevailed.”
