Supreme Court Victory: SDP Chairman Gombe Celebrates Overturning of Appeal Court Judgment

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe, has welcomed the Supreme Court judgment which nullified what he described as “wrong pronouncements” made by the Court of Appeal regarding the leadership of the party.

The apex court, in a ruling delivered on Friday, held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to make pronouncements concerning the internal leadership affairs of the SDP.
Following the decision, the Supreme Court set aside all portions of the Appeal Court judgment relating to Prof. Gombe and the leadership structure of the party.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Prof. Gombe urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately correct what he called misleading information displayed on its website concerning the SDP leadership.
According to him, the Supreme Court restored the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite on January 19, 2026, which affirmed the party’s position on its leadership and internal decisions.
Gombe stated that the ruling also validated candidates sponsored by the recognized SDP leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He added that the judgment reaffirmed the constitutional principle that political parties are independent bodies with the authority to manage their internal affairs, including leadership matters and candidate selection.
The SDP chairman commended the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and expressed confidence that recent judgments involving political parties and INEC would help rebuild public trust in the judicial system.
He further appealed to the judiciary to remain impartial and committed to justice as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, while also urging INEC to fully comply with the Supreme Court ruling.
Gombe maintained that Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam remained expelled from the party following resolutions reached during the SDP National Executive Committee meeting held on March 9, 2026, in Abuja.
He insisted that all disciplinary actions taken against Gabam complied with due process as outlined in the SDP constitution, including suspension, investigation, fair hearing, and eventual expulsion.
Responding to questions from journalists, Gombe alleged that INEC acted on claims of a court order which, according to the party, did not exist in the manner it was publicly presented.
He stressed that no valid court order directed the removal of the recognized SDP leadership or mandated the recognition of any expelled member as national chairman of the party.
Also speaking, the National Secretary of the SDP, Dr. Olu Agunloye, stated that the March 9 NEC meeting was properly convened and that all decisions reached were consistent with the party’s constitution.
He emphasized that political parties should be allowed to manage their internal affairs without external interference, adding that the Supreme Court judgment had now cleared every doubt surrounding the authentic leadership of the SDP.