INEC Drops Gabam, Recognises Sadiq As SDP National Chairman

The leadership crisis within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) appears to have been resolved following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition of Dr Sadiq Abubakar as the party’s authentic national chairman.

INEC updated its official portal, removing the name of former chairman, Shehu Gabam, and replacing it with Abubakar, in line with Supreme Court majority judgment that overturned an earlier Court of Appeal decision on a dispute linked to the party’s Ekiti State governorship aspirant.

Abubakar assumed the party’s leadership after Gabam was suspended and later expelled over allegations of financial malpractice, malfeasance and misappropriation.

Gabam is currently standing trial before an Abuja Magistrate Court over the allegations.

The Supreme Court ruling came shortly after the SDP’s national convention held in Bauchi on May 9, where delegates returned Abubakar as national chairman and endorsed lawyer and political activist, Dr Adewole Adebayo, as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Adebayo, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the SDP platform, was re-nominated amid efforts by the party to reposition itself ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The resolution of the prolonged leadership dispute and INEC’s recognition of the new party leadership are being viewed by party members and opposition stakeholders as significant steps towards stabilising the SDP as political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election gather momentum.