SDP Rejects Gabam's Court Victory, Deepens Leadership Crisis

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has deepened its leadership crisis by rejecting a Federal High Court judgment that favored former national chairman Shehu Musa Gabam. The party insists that the court's ruling cannot override an earlier Supreme Court decision, which it argues has already nullified Gabam's claims to leadership.

The SDP's statement, issued by its national public secretary Araba Rufu Aiyenigba, emphasized that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should disregard Gabam's attempts to assert leadership based on the recent judgment delivered on June 24, 2026. The party contends that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to determine the position of the national chairman and that the judgment does not contain an order for INEC to recognize Gabam as chairman.

The SDP is currently preparing for the 2027 general elections, having completed its nomination process for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Princ Adewol Adebayo and Dr. Usman Bugaj, respectively.