ABUJA — The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, seeking an order staying the execution of a Federal High Court judgment relating to the party’s leadership and the nomination of its candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The party is also asking the appellate court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from implementing the judgment pending the hearing and determination of its appeal.
The application follows the June 24, 2026, judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which directed INEC to give effect to an earlier Court of Appeal decision recognising Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as the SDP National Chairman.
However, the party argued that the Supreme Court had, on May 22, 2026, set aside the appellate court’s judgment, after which INEC reinstated Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe as the party’s National Chairman.
In court documents filed before the Court of Appeal and marked CA/ABJ/CV/1011/2026, the SDP contended that the High Court’s decision was inconsistent with the subsisting judgment of the Supreme Court and should not be enforced pending the determination of its appeal.
The party is seeking an order staying the execution of the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice M.G. Umar, as well as an order restraining INEC, its officials and agents from taking any steps to enforce the judgment until the appeal is decided.
The appeal arose from Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026, in which the Federal High Court recognised Salawu-Adeniyi Mustapha Olaitan as the SDP’s governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Named as respondents in the appeal are Salawu-Adeniyi Mustapha Olaitan, INEC, the party’s former National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, and former National Youth Leader, Uchechukwu Chukwuma.
The SDP maintained that Gabam and Chukwuma had been expelled from the party and further stated that both are facing separate criminal proceedings before a Wuse Magistrate Court.
According to the party, its appeal raises substantial legal questions, arguing that allowing the judgment to be implemented before the appeal is heard could render the appellate proceedings nugatory.
It further submitted that preserving the status quo would serve the interest of justice and prevent irreversible actions before the Court of Appeal determines the issues in contention.
The dispute forms part of the protracted legal battle over the leadership of the SDP and the nomination of its candidate for the forthcoming Osun governorship election.
As of the time of filing this report, the Court of Appeal had yet to fix a date for the hearing of the motion.
