The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has declared that former National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, is no longer a member of the party, insisting that his suspension and expulsion were validly ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and convention in line with the party constitution and the Electoral Act.
National Chairman of the party Professor Sadiq Gombe stated this while speaking with newsmen after a close door meeting with the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Joash Amupitan in Abuja.
He said the party only honoured the invitation out of respect for the electoral umpire, but firmly maintained that INEC has no powers to interfere in the internal affairs of the party.
He said 11 members of its 15-member National Working Committee (NWC), alongside key stakeholders, attended the meeting and presented documents backing the decisions taken against Gabam.
“We came to INEC out of respect for the institution and in response to its invitation for alternative dispute resolution, but we made it clear that the SDP remains solely responsible for its internal affairs,” Professor Gombe stated.
According to the SDP, the NEC meeting held on March 9, 2026, at Newtown Park Hotel and Resort lawfully ratified the appointments of the current NWC members and approved Gabam’s suspension and expulsion over allegations of corruption, mismanagement, criminal breach of the party constitution, and violations of the Electoral Act.
Professor Gombe stressed that the NEC meeting was formally communicated to INEC, monitored by officials of the commission, and backed by certified true copies of the proceedings already in the possession of the electoral body.
He argued that under Article 19(C) of the SDP constitution, any disciplined member has five working days to appeal through the party’s internal mechanisms, but noted that Gabam neither appealed internally nor sought legal redress within the stipulated timeframe.
“From the date the NEC ratified his expulsion, he ceased to be a member of the SDP.
He failed to utilise the internal appeal mechanisms provided by the party constitution and did not challenge his expulsion before any competent court,” the leadership said.
The National Chairman dismissed insinuations that any court order could invalidate decisions already ratified by both the NEC and the party convention, insisting that party organs remain supreme in matters concerning internal administration.
“The NEC is the administrative organ responsible for the day-to-day running of the party, and its decisions are binding. No external body can impose leadership on the SDP,” the party maintained.
On the legal matter currently before the Supreme Court, Professor Gombe clarified that the case originated from a dispute involving an SDP governorship aspirant in Ekiti State and has no connection with the party’s national leadership tussle.
The SDP further faulted what it described as attempts to use the INEC portal to determine party leadership, insisting that the electoral commission has no constitutional authority to impose or recognise leaders outside decisions validly taken by the party’s recognised organs.
The party also expressed surprise over claims allegedly made by the INEC Chairman that some correspondences regarding suspensions, expulsions, and internal resolutions were not submitted to the commission.
“We have acknowledged copies of every communication sent to INEC, and all relevant documents were again presented during today’s meeting,” he stated.
The SDP used the occasion to showcase what it described as its commitment to due process, noting that it had already conducted its national convention and presidential primary ahead of the 2027 elections in compliance with the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said the convention and presidential primary were conducted transparently and broadcast live for Nigerians and the international community to observe.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible democratic processes, the National Chairman urged INEC to remain neutral, transparent, and faithful to constitutional provisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We are committed to free, fair and credible elections in 2027, and INEC must demonstrate from now that it will uphold due process and democratic principles,” the party added.
