SDP power tussle ends as Supreme Court dismisses Gabam’s appeal

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed an appeal filed by the plaintiff, Shehu Gabam, against the Court of Appeal judgment confirming the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) under Prof. Abubakar Sadiq Gombe.

The judgment delivered on Wednesday by five-man panel of justices, namely Justices Adamu Jauro, Haruna Tsammani, A.A. Adumein, Jonah Adah and Joseph Oyewole, said the appeal had become irrelevant and was therefore dismissed.

The Lead Justice, Adamu Jauro said, “there was no longer a life issue before it”, and consequently dismissed the appeal.

Reacting, the lead counsel to the SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, while speaking to journalists, reiterated that the plaintiff’s appeal had no life.

He said the justices asked the plaintiffs to withdraw the appeal and apologise.

According to him, the judgment brings a final end to the SDP leadership crisis.

“Supreme Court said that there is no life in the case and dismissed the case. That is the end of Shehu Gabam. There is nothing about the SDP leadership crisis coming up again”, he said.

Speaking on the two other matters filed by the SDP at the Supreme Court, Adebayo explained that the opposition party had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court over the 2027 presidential election timetable.

According to him, the SDP brought the matter before the Supreme Court to limit INEC’s alleged abuse of its powers and prevent it from becoming an inhibition to opposition parties in Nigeria.

He said INEC’s job was to be a servant of democracy and not to be used by the ruling party to inhibit opposition parties.

“The reason we brought the case to court is not because we particularly, SDP, [are concerned] with the 2027 election modified timetable. It is to limit the abuse of the electoral process by INEC. INEC’s job is to be a servant of democracy and to follow the law as stated,” he said.

Also, the National Chairman of the SDP, Prof. Gombe, hailed the Supreme Court for standing firm for democracy.

Recall that the Court of Appeal had in August set aside the judgment of Justice M.G. Umar in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026, which recognised Gabam’s leadership of the SDP, declaring it null and void.