Oluwatosin Ogunkolade
The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe, has welcomed the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria nullifying aspects of an earlier Court of Appeal ruling on the party’s leadership crisis.
The apex court, in a judgment delivered on Friday, held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to make pronouncements on the internal leadership structure of the SDP.
The Supreme Court subsequently set aside all portions of the appellate court’s judgment relating to Gombe and the party’s leadership.
Addressing journalists in Abuja shortly after the ruling, Gombe said the judgment reaffirmed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite on Jan. 19, 2026.
According to him, the ruling validated the position of the party leadership and confirmed the legality of decisions taken by the SDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately correct what he described as misleading information on its website concerning the leadership of the party.
“The judgment has reaffirmed the constitutional principle that political parties are independent entities empowered to manage their internal affairs, including leadership and candidate selection,” Gombe said.
He added that candidates sponsored by the recognised SDP leadership remained valid and legally recognised for future elections.
The SDP chairman also commended the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and expressed optimism that recent judicial decisions involving political parties and INEC would strengthen public confidence in the electoral and judicial systems.
He urged the courts to remain impartial as the country approaches the 2027 elections and called on INEC to comply fully with the Supreme Court judgment.
Gombe maintained that Shehu Musa Gabam remained expelled from the party following resolutions reached at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting held on March 9, 2026, in Abuja.
According to him, all disciplinary actions taken against Gabam complied with provisions of the SDP constitution, including suspension, investigation, fair hearing and eventual expulsion.
Responding to questions from journalists, Gombe alleged that INEC acted on claims of a court order which, according to him, did not exist in the form it was publicly presented.
He insisted that no valid court order directed the removal of the recognised SDP leadership or compelled the recognition of any expelled member as national chairman of the party.
Also speaking, the National Secretary of the SDP, Olu Agunloye, said the March 9 NEC meeting was properly convened and all resolutions reached were in line with the party’s constitution.
Agunloye stressed that political parties must be allowed to manage their internal affairs without external interference, adding that the Supreme Court judgment had removed all doubts over the authentic leadership of the SDP.
