September 08, (THEWILL) — The Social Democratic Party, SDP, leadership crisis following the summary suspension of the National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, alongside the National Auditor, Nze Nnadi Clarkson and National Youth Leader, Uchechukwu Chukwuma, by a faction of the National Working Committee (NWC), has been put to rest by the Independent National Electoral Commission. The trio were accused of gross financial misconduct and mismanagement of party funds amounting to over N1 billion. Dr Abubakar Gombe assumed leadership of the party.
Although Gabam continued to claim innocence of the allegation and maintained his chairmanship of the party, the crisis in the party continued to escalate.
On Friday, a new chapter in the ongoing crisis reared its head as the Dr Abubakar Gombe led National Working Committee, NCW, dissociated itself from a political summit scheduled to hold on Friday at the Okwadike Events Centre, Venessa Hotel in Owerri, the Imo State capital. The NCW stated that the suspended National Chairman Gabam was behind it because an alleged front, Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, who was predecessor to Gombe was behind it.
Gombe claimed that Modibbo’s leadership is illegal and cannot be organising a summit tagged “SDP Political Conference Summit.” According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the planned event is “illegal,” and the organisers are working to mislead party members into a forced alliance with the ADC coalition agenda allegedly promoted by former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.
“The so-called summit is an illegality being committed by a group of dissidents whose overarching objective is to deceive our members and lure them into the ADC coalition. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who is behind this, is no longer a member of the SDP and cannot speak or act on behalf of the party.”
Aiyenigba recalled that on July 28, 2025, the SDP NWC expelled El-Rufai for 30 years, along with Modibbo and seven others, who are also facing legal action over their activities He therefore advised members of the SDP, particularly in Imo State, the South-East and the general public, to disregard the scheduled ‘SDP Political Conference Summit’ as it has no connection to the party.
“The SDP is not part of the ADC coalition and remains committed to its founding ideology and manifesto,” he added. Coming on the heels of the fallout of allegations that el-Rufai was planning to move the party into an alliance with the ADC, the factional crisis within the party has deepened.
THEWILL recalls that on July 25, 2025, a faction led by Adamu Modibbo emerged from an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, with support from 23 state chairmen.
Modibbo was named Acting National Chairman after the suspension of Alhaji Shehu Gabam and the brief tenure of Dr. Sadiq Abubakar in acting capacity. Promising to restore order in the party, Modibbo began to reorganise the party and reconcile aggrieved parties. But his reform was short-lived as the Abubakar-led NWC immediately dismissed the NEC meeting as illegal and unconstitutional.
Since July, particularly after the suspension of the Gabam led executive, SDP has not known peace, moving from one crisis to the other. On the one hand the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has continued to maintain that the Gabam-led NWC of the party is the only recognised group as the other factional leaders have yet to meet the legal requirements to be recognised.
This singular hitch in the party’s matter has continued to pitch Gabam against Gombe and his NWC. The Gombe-led NWC had reportedly notified the commission of the appointment of Dr. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe as the party’s acting chairman.
In reply, INEC reportedly rejected the letter, describing it as non-compliant with its 2022 guidelines and bearing signatures inconsistent with SDP records. The commission has now written to Gabam to verify the letter’s authenticity.
This recognition has continued to fuel tensions within the party, leading to Gabam’s statement that claims of gross financial misconduct levied against him were baseless and politically motivated.
He blamed the continued crisis in the party on a “small faction” allegedly led by former minister Dr. Olu Agunloye, whom he accused of spreading lies, manipulating processes and attempting to unconstitutionally hijack the party’s leadership.
“Let it be clear,” the statement said, “INEC, the only body legally empowered to recognise political party leadership in Nigeria, affirms Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as the legitimate and substantive National Chairman of the SDP.”
He warned that any National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting not convened by him is invalid and declared that attempts to sack state party chairmen or stage a parallel convention are null and void. Despite the noise, Gabam insisted that the party has made giant strides, particularly at the grassroots, and continues to push a bold agenda for social justice and national development.
Addressing speculations of alliance talks, he stated categorically: “The SDP is not in any coalition. We are an independent political force committed to offering Nigerians a credible alternative.” He urged members to remain calm and resolute, saying the party would weather the storm.
“This turbulence will pass. The SDP is strong, united, and ready to play its role in reshaping Nigeria’s political future.”
Then on September 7, 2025, the INEC affirmed the Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the authentic leadership of the party.
This was contained in a correspondence by the Commission to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police, which had requested the names of the authentic officials of the party in a bid to address the long-standing leadership crisis rocking the SDP.
The letter, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, was addressed to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Abuja. Titled “RE: Request for Names of the National Executives of the Social Democratic Party (SDP),” the letter reads in part:
“Your letter reference No. SB/3380/FCT/VOL.3/11 dated 28th July 2025 on the above subject refers. Please find attached the list of the National Executive of the Social Democratic Party as requested.”
The attached list contained the names of officers elected at the party’s national convention held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on 8th June 2022.
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