SDP Seeks Appeal Court Stay Over Leadership Dispute

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking to halt the implementation of a Federal High Court judgment relating to the party’s leadership and the nomination of its candidate for the 2026 Osun governorship election.

In a motion on Notice filed before the appellate court, the party is asking for an order staying the execution of the June 24, 2026 judgment delivered by Justice M.

This is contained in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba in Abuja.

The SDP also requested an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from taking any step to enforce the judgment until the appeal is heard and determined.

The party argued that the Federal High Court judgment contradicted an earlier Supreme Court decision delivered on May 22, 2026, which reportedly set aside an Appeal Court judgment that had recognised Alhaji Shehu Gabam as National Chairman and led to the reinstatement of Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe as the party’s National Chairman.

According to the SDP, it would amount to a legal anomaly for a lower court to make orders that conflict with a subsisting Supreme Court judgment.

Court documents showed that the appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1011/2026, arose from Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026 involving the recognition of Salawu-Adeniyi Mustapha Olaitan as the SDP governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun election.

The party maintained that its appeal raises substantial and arguable issues and warned that implementation of the Federal High Court judgment could render the appeal nugatory if irreversible actions are taken before its determination.

The SDP further urged the Court of Appeal to preserve the status quo in the interest of justice and prevent the substantive appeal from becoming merely academic.

The appellate court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the application.