One Person cannot hijack SDP – Gombe Camp 

Celebrates Supreme Court Verdict, Pressures INEC

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA – The National Working Committee (NWC) of Professor Abubakar Sadiq Gombe, who leads the Social Democratic Party (SDP), announced a victory following the Supreme Court’s judgment on Friday. The ruling, according to the Gombe camp, removes any legal basis for challenges to the party’s NWC and disciplinary actions.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Gombe said the apex court had reaffirmed the authority of the SDP leadership under his faction and dismissed online claims to the contrary.

Accompanied by National Secretary Olu Agunloye, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, and others, the SDP chairman explained that the judgment overturned earlier Court of Appeal decisions concerning the party’s internal affairs and leadership structure, particularly those involving Shehu Musa Gabam.

Gombe stated, “We represented the party physically at the Supreme Court. We have already applied for the Certified True Copy of the judgment. Journalists can independently verify what transpired.”

He warned rival factions within the party that no single individual could override the authority of party institutions, saying, “We are talking about an institution, not individuals. One person cannot override the structure of the party.”

The Gombe camp also intensified pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding immediate recognition of the party’s decisions regarding Gabam’s suspension and eventual expulsion.

Gombe noted that the party followed the constitutional process before removing Gabam, including suspension, investigation, and an opportunity for defence, which he allegedly ignored. “The NEC, which is the highest organ of the party after convention, ratified his expulsion. He refused to appear before the disciplinary committee and never appealed within the constitutional timeframe,” he said.

He emphasized that the Supreme Court ruling reinforced the principle that internal party disputes remain the jurisdiction of the parties themselves, adding, “The Supreme Court has again made it clear that issues concerning internal party affairs are within the jurisdiction of the party.”

Agunloye accused the electoral body of ignoring official correspondence sent by the SDP regarding the disciplinary measures against Gabam. “The chairman of INEC admitted no correspondence on Gabam’s suspension or expulsion was brought before him, yet we have acknowledged copies showing those documents were submitted,” he said.

The National Secretary also clarified that the crisis is being mischaracterised as a struggle for control of the party rather than a disciplinary matter. “What we are having in SDP is not a leadership tussle. A member committed infractions, the party disciplined him, and that action was ratified by party organs!” he said.

Senator Ugochukwu Uba, who praised the verdict as a win for institutional democracy within political parties, said, “Political parties must be allowed to enforce discipline within their structures without interference.”

The ruling stemmed from six appeals heard by the Supreme Court on May 12, 2026, including Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC & 4 Ors (SC/CV/229/2026). The apex court found the plaintiffs lacked locus standi, nullifying earlier Court of Appeal pronouncements on SDP leadership and the Ekiti governorship primary dispute.

Despite celebrations by the Gombe faction, the crisis within the SDP appears unresolved, with rival camps still awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment to support their competing claims.

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