Supreme Court Affirms SDP Leadership Under Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, Voids Appeal Court Judgment

The Supreme Court has affirmed the leadership of the Social Democratic Party under Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, setting aside an earlier Court of Appeal judgment that was relied upon by the Independent National Electoral Commission to restore former chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, on the commission’s portal.

In a statement issued on Friday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the apex court described the appeal court decision as lacking jurisdiction and declared several pronouncements made by the lower court null and void.

According to the statement, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in suit number SC/CV/229/2026, titled Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC & 4 Ors, after hearing six consolidated appeals filed by the party.

The apex court reportedly held that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the suit, thereby stripping the court of jurisdiction from the outset.

The court further ruled that the Federal High Court was right to dismiss the matter for lack of locus standi and faulted the Court of Appeal for overturning that decision.

The judgment also set aside the appeal court’s decision invalidating the SDP governorship primary election in Ekiti State that produced Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade as the party’s candidate for the June 2026 governorship election.

Similarly, the Supreme Court nullified the appeal court’s pronouncements concerning the venue and conduct of the Ekiti governorship primary, as well as its reliance on an alleged parallel primary election involving Engineer David Oludele Bankole.

The court also ruled that the Court of Appeal acted without jurisdiction in making pronouncements regarding the national leadership of the SDP, including issues concerning Professor Gombe.

Reacting to the judgment, the SDP leadership described the ruling as a final resolution of the leadership crisis that had rocked the party in recent months.

The statement said the judgment effectively ended what it described as “the shenanigans” surrounding the leadership tussle and affirmed the legitimacy of the Prof. Gombe-led National Working Committee.

The party also stated that the ruling validated decisions taken during its National Convention held in Bauchi on May 9, 2026, including the emergence of Adewole Adebayo as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The SDP commended the Supreme Court for what it described as courage and independence in delivering judgment, while urging party faithful to remain united ahead of the 2027 elections.

The party added that the judgment had repositioned it to focus fully on its programmes and political activities ahead of the next general elections.