Supreme Court affirms Gombe-led SDP, nullifies Appeal Court ruling on Gabam

By Jude Opara

The crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) may have come to an end after the Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the leadership of Prof. Sadiq Gombe as the authentic National Chairman, setting aside the Court of Appeal judgment which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) relied upon to restore former chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, on its portal.

In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the SDP described the Supreme Court judgment as a landmark decision that finally laid to rest the leadership tussle which has engulfed the part for the past one year.

According to the statement, the Supreme Court delivered judgment in suit No. SC/CV/229/2026, titled Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC & 4 Ors, after hearing six appeals filed by the party on May 12, 2026.

The apex court held that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi to institute the suit, thereby robbing the lower court of jurisdiction.

The court further held that the Federal High Court was right in dismissing the matter for lack of locus standi and faulted the Court of Appeal for making pronouncements on the SDP governorship primary in Ekiti State and the leadership of the party.

The Supreme Court consequently set aside the judgment delivered by Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike of the Court of Appeal on March 27, 2026.

According to the SDP, the judgment invalidated all pronouncements made by the appellate court concerning the leadership of the party and the Ekiti governorship primary election that produced Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade as the party’s flag bearer.

The party further stated that the Supreme Court rejected the reliance placed by the Court of Appeal on INEC’s report relating to a purported parallel governorship primary involving Engineer David Oludele Bankole.

Reacting to the development, the SDP said the ruling effectively brought to an end what it described as the “shenanigans” and distractions allegedly orchestrated by Gabam and his co-travellers.

The statement further declared that the judgment represented “the incontestable affirmation” of the Prof. Gombe-led National Working Committee (NWC) and validated all actions taken at the SDP National Convention held in Bauchi on May 9, 2026.

The party added that it has now overcome deliberate attempts to destabilize it ahead of the 2027 general elections adding that it is now repositioned to pursue its political programmes and electoral ambitions.

The SDP commended the Supreme Court for what it called courage and independence in handling the matter and praised party members nationwide for standing by the leadership during the crisis.

“Truth and common sense have finally prevailed over lies and deception,” the party added.