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The Nigerian Supreme Court has confirmed Abubakar Sadiq Gombe as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), after dismissing an appeal filed by Shehu Gabam in the party’s leadership dispute.
The five-member panel, led by Justice Adamu Jauro and comprising Justices Haruna Tsammani, A.A. Adumein, Jonah Adah and Joseph Oyewole, dismissed the appeal, ruling that the court had no issue left to determine.
The case is part of a prolonged legal dispute over the leadership of the SDP that has passed through the High Court and Court of Appeal before reaching the Supreme Court.
In August, the Court of Appeal set aside a High Court judgment recognising Gabam as national chairman.
Reacting to Wednesday’s judgment, SDP presidential candidate and party counsel, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said the Supreme Court’s decision effectively ended Gabam’s claim in the leadership dispute.
Adebayo said the appeal no longer presented a live issue for the court and described the ruling as the conclusion of Gabam’s challenge to the party’s leadership.
He said, “The Supreme Court said that there is no life in the case and dismissed the case. That is the end of Shehu Gabam. There is nothing about the SDP leadership crisis coming up again.”
He explained that Gabam had previously been removed from the party and had not personally challenged the removal, adding that another party member had filed the original suit seeking recognition for Gabam.
According to Adebayo, the SDP had challenged the High Court judgment at the Court of Appeal, which subsequently set the decision aside.
The development comes as the SDP prepares for the 2027 general elections and continues to deal with legal matters involving the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adebayo said two other cases involving the SDP and INEC remained before the Supreme Court.
He said the cases relate to INEC’s timetable for political parties, particularly the period available for nominating and substituting candidates.
Adebayo maintained that the cases were filed to obtain judicial clarification on INEC’s powers and ensure that the electoral commission operates within the limits of the law, rather than because the SDP could not meet the commission’s timetable.
“The reason we brought the case to court is not that we, particularly SDP, are not able to cope with the timetable. It is to limit the abuse of the electoral process by INEC,” he said.
Also reacting, SDP National Chairman Abubakar Sadiq Gombe described the judgment as a victory for the party and democracy.
“This is a victory not only for the SDP, but a victory for democracy,” he said.
Gombe said the leadership dispute had gone through several stages of litigation before reaching the Supreme Court.
He added that the party’s appearances before the courts should be viewed as part of its broader position on democratic governance, rather than solely as efforts to defend its organisational interests.
