Why Gabam’s new court move can’t stand – SDP

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the weekend said a Federal High Court judgement being relied upon by its expelled former national chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, cannot alter the party’s leadership because the legal basis for the ruling had already been set aside by the Supreme Court.

The party’s position followed Gabam’s latest move to forward the judgement to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through his lawyers, urging the commission to act on it.

The SDP, however, said the judgement had been appealed and could not supersede the apex court’s decision.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the party argued that the Federal High Court relied on a Court of Appeal judgement that had already been set aside by the Supreme Court on May 22, 2026.

“To tamper with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party based on this High Court judgement would amount to the High Court overruling the Supreme Court by restoring to life a Court of Appeal judgement, which the Supreme Court has set aside and voided by its judgement of May 22, 2026,” Aiyenigba said.

He added that the judgement did not direct INEC to recognise Gabam as national chairman or Ogbonna Okechukwu as national secretary, urging the electoral commission to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the appeal.

The party further argued that the Supreme Court had consistently held that courts lacked jurisdiction to determine who occupied the offices of national chairman and national secretary of a political party.

The SDP also dismissed the suit filed by Salawu Adeniyi Mustapha Adeoti, saying he neither participated in the party’s governorship primary in Osun State nor emerged as its candidate, insisting that Dr Ajala remained the party’s governorship candidate.

The party said it had moved beyond the leadership dispute after holding its second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in four months and was focused on preparations for the 2027 general elections, including the submission of the names of its candidates who emerged from its primaries to INEC.

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