SDP Leadership Dispute: Court Battle Over Gombe and Gabam Continues
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the Federal High Court's judgment that recognized Shehu Gabam as the Social Democratic Party's National Chairman, reaffirming Prof Abubakar Sadiq Gombe's leadership. This unanimous decision resolves a long-standing internal party dispute, with the appellate court emphasizing that no lower court can contradict an earlier Supreme Court ruling. The SDP now looks towards future elections with a unified front.
The leadership dispute within Nigeria's Social Democratic Party (SDP) remains before the courts, with the party challenging a Federal High Court judgment that had implications for its leadership and its 2026 Osun governorship candidate.
The dispute centres on a June 24 judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026. The ruling recognised Salawu-Adeniyi Mustapha Olaitan as the SDP's candidate for the Osun governorship election and directed INEC to give effect to an earlier Court of Appeal decision linked to the party's leadership.
The SDP has challenged that decision at the Court of Appeal, arguing that the earlier appellate ruling relied upon by the Federal High Court had already been set aside by the Supreme Court on May 22.
SDP seeks to stop High Court judgment
In July, the SDP filed an application asking the Court of Appeal to stay execution of the Federal High Court judgment while its substantive appeal is considered.
The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1011/2026, also asks the appellate court to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission from implementing the lower court's decision before the appeal is determined.
At the time of the latest reports I could verify, the Court of Appeal had not fixed a date to hear the application.
Supreme Court had earlier backed Gombe
The current dispute follows a May 22 Supreme Court judgment that set aside the earlier Court of Appeal decision which had been relied upon to recognise former SDP chairman Shehu Gabam.
Following that ruling, INEC updated its records in June to recognise Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe as the SDP's national chairman and removed Gabam's name.
Gabam has since remained at the centre of the party's wider legal dispute, while the SDP maintains that he was expelled and no longer represents its leadership.
The disagreement has also become part of the party's preparations for upcoming elections, particularly the Osun governorship contest and the 2027 general elections.
For now, the leadership issue should be described as ongoing, rather than settled by a new Court of Appeal judgment, until the appellate court's latest ruling can be independently verified.