Supreme Court Nullifies Appeal Court Ruling Recognising Gabam-Led SDP Leadership

The leadership crisis within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) took a fresh twist on Friday as the Supreme Court nullified the Court of Appeal judgment that formed the basis for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership headed by Shehu Gabam.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on May 22, 2026, in suit number SC/CV/229/2026, the apex court set aside the appellate court decision which had earlier upheld the leadership structure recognised by INEC.
The ruling has thrown the party into renewed political and legal uncertainty ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The dispute originated from a suit filed by an SDP member, Fayemi Babatunde, who challenged the legality of the party’s Ekiti State governorship primary election conducted under the National Working Committee allegedly led by Dr. Sadiq Gombe.
Babatunde argued that the leadership which organised the exercise was improperly constituted in breach of both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. According to him, the leadership lacked the authority to set up an electoral committee or conduct a valid governorship primary.
He also asked the court to restrain INEC from recognising candidates that emerged from the disputed primary process.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on January 19, 2026, dismissed the suit and affirmed the legitimacy of the Gombe-led leadership as well as the party’s internal processes.
However, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, in judgment CA/ABJ/CV/126/2026, partly overturned the lower court’s decision.
The three-member panel led by Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, alongside Justices Abba Mohammed and Oyejoju Oyewumi, ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to make final pronouncements on the SDP’s internal leadership dispute.
“The appeal succeeds in part,” the appellate court held, while noting that Babatunde was not an aspirant in the disputed governorship primary.
The appellate court subsequently nullified portions of the Federal High Court judgment that recognised Dr. Sadiq Gombe as the authentic national chairman of the SDP and also voided the validation of the November 8, 2025 governorship primary election.
Despite nullifying those aspects of the judgment, the appellate court relied on INEC’s monitoring report admitted as Exhibit INEC 3, which stated that the governorship primary was properly conducted with accredited delegates and produced Bankole Oludele as winner.
Following the ruling, INEC updated the SDP leadership structure on its official portal in April, listing Shehu Gabam as National Chairman and Olu Agunloye as National Secretary, while several executive positions were marked “By Court Order.”
With the Supreme Court now overturning the appellate court judgment upon which INEC based its recognition, observers say the party may be heading into another prolonged leadership battle that could affect its readiness for the 2027 elections.
Editor’s Note
The Supreme Court ruling once again highlights the persistent internal crises that continue to plague political parties in Nigeria, where leadership tussles and legal battles often overshadow governance and ideological development. As the 2027 elections draw closer, the SDP faces mounting pressure to stabilise its internal structure and restore public confidence if it hopes to remain politically competitive.
By Noel Chiagorom — The Nation’s Eyes Newspaper