Court penalizes Gabam for alleged misappropriation as SDPchairman responds.

The Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2, Federal Capital Territory, on Tuesday sentenced former Social Democratic Party chairman Shehu Gabam to detention for alleged financial misappropriation and related offences.

The dispute between Gabam and the current SDP chairman, Sodiq Abubakar, is recorded under case file No. DCC/10/2026 before the FCT Chief Magistrate Court.

Gabam, together with Chukwuma Uchechukwu, was arraigned on six counts that include financial misappropriation of more than N35 million from the SDP, forgery, and breach of trust.

During the hearing, Gabam pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Amauche Onyedium.

The magistrate set bail at N3 million, requiring two sureties from Abuja.

Speaking at the hearing, Abubakar said the opposition party had taken Gabam to court to purge the organization of external influences.

“We are confident that the Judiciary will do justice to our millions of members,” Abubakar said.

He added that the party had asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to prosecute Gabam, but no action was taken, prompting the judicial filing.

“He squandered the party’s fund in his time between 2022 and 2023,” he noted.

Abubakar was elected SDP chairman at the party’s national convention in Bauchi on May 9, 2026.

Over the weekend, individuals suspected of being loyal to Gabam damaged the gate of the SDP’s national secretariat.