The Social Democratic Party, (SDP), has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), has no legal basis to act on a letter seeking to reinstall Shehu Musa Gabam as National Chairman.
Recall that on July 9, 2026, a letter was submitted to INEC by Gabam’s lawyers, following the judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026 delivered on June 24, 2026. The letter sought recognition of Gabam on the strength of the High Court judgment.
It came months after the Supreme Court ruling delivered on May 22, 2026, set aside a Court of Appeal decision and affirmed the removal of Gabam as Chairman. Following the apex court judgment, INEC restored Prof. Sadiq Gombe as the party’s National Chairman.
The party’s National publicity secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba in a statement issued on Friday, said the SDP has appealed the June 24 High Court judgment and the matter is now pending before the Court of Appeal.
He added that the plaintiff in the suit, Salawu Adeniyi Mustapha Adeoti, is not the party’s governorship candidate in Osun State. “Dr. Ajala emerged from our valid primary,” he said.
The party argued that the Supreme Court has consistently held that courts lack jurisdiction to determine who occupies the positions of National Chairman, National Secretary and other offices of a political party.
“There is no positive order in the judgment mandating INEC to install Gabam as Chairman or Ogbonna Okechukwu as Secretary, INEC therefore has no duty to act on the ruling,
“The declaration in the judgment, which criticized INEC, relied on the Court of Appeal decision in Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC, the Supreme Court set aside the decision on May 22, 2026, one month and two days before the Federal High Court ruling.”Aiyenigba stated
He further said that INEC had already complied with the said Court of Appeal judgment before it was nullified by the Supreme Court, emphasising that there is no subsisting judgment for the High Court to enforce against the Commission.
The party urged INEC to maintain the status quo on SDP leadership until the Supreme Court finally determines the appeal, stressing the apex court has already voided the judgment referenced by the High Court, and acting otherwise would amount to a lower court overruling the Supreme Court.
“The SDP is not a private estate or inheritance. It is a public institution belonging to Nigerians, on July 9, 2026, the SDP held its NEC meeting and has uploaded Prince Adewole Adebayo and Dr. Usman Bugaje as presidential and vice-presidential candidates ahead of 2027.” Aiyenigba added
