INEC Gabam recognition sparks fresh SDP row

The move by the Independent National Electoral Commission to formally recognise the Shehu Gabam-led National Working Committee of the Social Democratic Party has sparked a fresh row in the party leadership.

INEC, in an updated upload on its official website, and following further checks with the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, and the commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Etta-Messi, on Sunday, confirmed the electoral body’s decision.

On its website, beneath the prominently displayed name of the party and its logo, INEC listed Gabam as National Chairman, while Olu Agunloye was named National Secretary.

Other NWC members listed on the website include National Treasurer, Hajia Maggie Mariam, and National Legal Adviser, Aderemi Abimbola.

INEC, with a bold inscription, states, “By Court Order” in front of the names of members of the executive.

The development follows a recent judgment by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which affirmed Gabam as the authentic national chairman of the party.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on March 27, 2026, a three-member panel of justices ruled on an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/126/2026, filed by an aggrieved party member, Fayemi Babatunde.

The party, however, rejected Gabam’s recognition by INEC, describing the move as unconstitutional and an intrusion into its internal affairs.

The SDP faulted the commission’s action, insisting that no valid court order was served on the party, as it warned INEC against interfering in its affairs.

The National Publicity Secretary of the SDP, Rufus Aiyenigba, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, accused the electoral umpire of acting outside its constitutional bounds and alleged foul play in the recognition of Gabam.

He said, “We see it as a contempt of the Supreme Court by INEC. That is unconstitutional, illegal and unnecessary interference in the affairs of the party.

“Most importantly, there is no court order that emanated from anywhere. It is fictitious because no paper was served on us. We are challenging them to produce the order.

“I can tell you that it is a back-door deal by some elements to get that. But we are tackling it head-on. It will certainly be addressed. There is nothing to worry about.

“The funny thing here is that the name of our validly elected chairman, whose election was monitored by INEC itself, was substituted with that of an expelled member of the party.

“I think you can also see the foul play involved in this arrangement. Anyway, it wasn’t as if the entire structure was dissolved. All the names of the excos are intact except for Prof Sadiq Gombe, who was removed.”

While noting that the broader party structure remained intact, except for the removal of Prof Gombe, the SDP questioned the practicality of the arrangement, arguing that the individual being imposed could not function in isolation.

Aiyenigba reiterated that Gabam was no longer a member of the party and therefore could not legally occupy the position.

“Again, the man they are trying to bring cannot operate as a sole administrator or in a vacuum. It will be a difficult one for him. In the face of the law, Gabam is no longer a member of the SDP.

“So, INEC cannot impose its decision on us. After all, the law says political parties are in charge of their internal affairs. It is just one of those shenanigans and acts of impunity plaguing the administrators of our national affairs,” he stated.

In the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/126/2026, the appellant challenged the validity of the Ekiti State governorship primary, arguing that the party leadership that conducted the exercise lacked the legitimacy and legal authority to constitute an electoral committee.

The appellant specifically faulted the NWC led by Gombe, describing it as illegally constituted and in violation of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

He also sought an order restraining INEC from recognising candidates produced by the disputed leadership.

The case was initially dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on January 19, 2026, with Justice Emeka Nwite affirming Gombe as the party’s authentic chairman and upholding the legality of the party’s processes.

However, following the appeal lodged before it, the appellate court partially overturned the lower court’s decision, holding that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to make pronouncements on the SDP leadership tussle.

Delivering its judgment, the three-member panel of justices comprising Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, Justices Abba Mohammed and Oyejoju Oyewumi, ruled that any findings made without jurisdiction were null and void.

“The appeal succeeds in part,” the court held, affirming only that the appellant was not an aspirant in the disputed primary.

The court subsequently set aside the Federal High Court’s pronouncement recognising Gombe as the authentic leader of the party, as well as its validation of the November 8, 2025, primary election.

Despite nullifying those aspects, the appellate court relied on INEC’s monitoring report (Exhibit INEC 3), which confirmed that the primary election was conducted with valid delegates and produced a winner, Mr Bankole Oludele.