The Social Democratic Party has said recent judgments of the Court of Appeal on the Ekiti State governorship primary did not remove its National Chairman, Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, insisting that the party’s leadership remains intact.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the party dismissed claims allegedly made by a former chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, describing them as false and misleading.
The party said it had carefully reviewed the appellate court judgments and found that they were strictly related to disputes arising from the conduct of the Ekiti primary election, and not on the leadership of the party.
“The national leadership of the Social Democratic Party is mindful that a lie deliberately crafted and vigorously pushed into the public space, without being challenged and countered with superior facts, could pass for truth,” the statement read.
It added, “No court has removed Prof Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party. He remains the legitimate chairman as affirmed by the National Executive Committee of the party.”
The SDP further stated that the suit referenced in the Court of Appeal judgment, filed by an aggrieved aspirant, Babatunde Tosin Fayemi, was solely about the Ekiti governorship primary and did not in any way address the party’s leadership structure.
According to the party, “There are no court cases about leadership issues in SDP, but cases relating to primaries in Ekiti and Osun States by aspirants with grievances over the processes.”
The statement also noted that Gabam was neither a party to the suit nor mentioned in the court proceedings or judgment.
“The former chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, is not part of the suit and was not mentioned once in the suit or in the judgment,” it said.
On the issue of party leadership, the SDP maintained that the court reaffirmed that such matters remain internal affairs of political parties.
“What the judgment simply stated is that the trial court ought not to have delved into leadership matter in a pre-election case, as courts have no jurisdiction to determine leadership of political parties,” the statement added.
The party also reiterated that Gabam had been expelled, stating that due process was followed in line with its constitution.
“As a matter of fact, Shehu Musa Gabam is no longer a member of the Social Democratic Party, having been duly expelled from the party, with the expulsion ratified by the NEC on March 9, 2026,” the statement read.
It added that the former chairman had earlier been suspended over allegations of financial misappropriation and abuse of office, which were investigated by a panel.
The SDP assured its members and the public that the party remained stable and focused on its political agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The SDP refuses to be distracted and is focused on the noble goal of producing credible candidates who can win the 2027 general elections and help to change the fortunes of the country,” the statement said.
The party also disclosed that it was strengthening its structures nationwide through ongoing membership registration and strategic collaborations.
“We are positioning the SDP as a national vehicle that has the essential capacity to drive the national retrieval mission,” it added.
