ABUJA—The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Professor Abubakar Sadiq Gombe, on Wednesday declared that there is no faction within the party, insisting that the leadership dispute rocking the opposition platform involves only a few expelled members whose disciplinary sanctions were lawfully imposed.
Gombe spoke shortly after proceedings at the Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, where a criminal case involving an expelled party official was adjourned to July 20, 2026.
According to him, the adjournment became necessary because the party was unable to obtain a crucial bank statement required as evidence in the matter.
“What transpired is nothing new. The case has been adjourned to July 20 as a result of our inability to lay our hands on one of the key documents that is supposed to be tendered before the court, which is a bank statement,” Gombe said.
“We applied to the bank, but the bank could not provide the document immediately because it involves a lot of pages. The document is bulky and requires approval from its headquarters before it can be stamped and released. Consequently, we had to seek the intervention of the court to summon the bank to produce the document.”
The SDP chairman dismissed suggestions that the party was divided into rival camps, maintaining that disciplinary measures taken against certain members were in line with the party’s constitution and relevant laws.
“Let me first correct you. We don’t have any faction. It is only that we have an issue with an erring member, and that is why we are here. The party took the appropriate disciplinary measures based on Article 19 of its constitution, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he stated.
According to him, the party’s decisions were duly communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over several months.
“There is only one SDP. We have 15 members of the National Working Committee. Three members were sanctioned. One apologised and resigned, while the other two failed to appear before the disciplinary committee and were subsequently expelled. Today, 12 members of the NWC remain intact and continue to run the affairs of the party,” he said.
Gombe argued that the expelled officials neither appealed the disciplinary actions through the party’s internal mechanisms nor sought legal redress within the timeframe prescribed by the SDP constitution.
“According to our constitution, any member disciplined by the party has only five working days to appeal. The suspensions and expulsions took place months ago and were later ratified by the National Executive Committee, the highest implementing organ of the party. Therefore, the matter is already out of time,” he said.
He further alleged that one of the expelled officials forcefully took over the party’s national secretariat in March with the assistance of security operatives and political associates.
“We left Abuja for our convention and while most members of the NWC were away, the accused came with over 100 policemen, security personnel and thugs, pulled down the gate of the secretariat and unlawfully occupied our offices,” he alleged.
Gombe said the incident was reported to the Inspector-General of Police and other security authorities, adding that the party had continued to function from a temporary secretariat despite the development.
The SDP chairman also accused the expelled official of frustrating efforts to obtain the party’s bank records.
“The former chairman was a signatory to the account. After his expulsion, the remaining signatories requested the bank statement through due process, but efforts were allegedly frustrated. That is why we had to seek a court order compelling the bank to produce the statement,” he said.
On the controversy surrounding the party’s governorship primary in Ekiti State, Gombe accused INEC of failing to monitor the exercise despite receiving the statutory 21-day notice.
He noted that while previous electoral laws gave INEC discretionary powers to monitor party primaries, the amended Electoral Act makes such monitoring mandatory once proper notice is given.
“After we duly notified INEC and received assurances that they would attend, they failed to participate. However, we are confident that our governorship candidate will remain on the ballot,” he said.
Gombe expressed optimism that the leadership crisis would soon be resolved, citing what he described as the backing of the party’s National Executive Committee and relevant judicial pronouncements.
“I want to assure our members and Nigerians that the SDP is one under our leadership. We have 12 intact members of the NWC running the affairs of the party. Before the week runs out, Nigerians will see a different SDP,” he said.
He added that efforts were ongoing to reclaim the party’s national secretariat through lawful means.
“We are law-abiding citizens. We will continue to follow due process. No matter how far this goes, very soon these issues will fizzle out and Nigerians will see a stronger and united SDP,” Gombe stated.
The case is expected to resume on July 20 when hearing continues and the court receives the bank documents sought by the prosecution.
