INEC recognises Gabam-led SDP NWC after court ruling

The Independent National Electoral Commission has recognised the Shehu Gabam-led National Working Committee of the Social Democratic Party.

INEC, in an updated upload on its official website, and following further checks with the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, and the Commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Etta-Messi, on Sunday, confirmed the electoral body’s decision.

On its website, beneath the displayed name of the party and its logo, INEC listed Gabam as National Chairman, while Olu Agunloye was named National Secretary.

Other NWC members listed on the website include National Treasurer, Hajia Maggie Mariam, and National Legal Adviser, Aderemi Abimbola. However, the National Secretary was not listed.

INEC, in bold inscription, stated “By Court Order” in front of the names of members of the executive.

The development follows a recent judgment by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which affirmed Gabam as the authentic National Chairman of the party.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on March 27, 2026, a three-member panel of justices ruled on an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/126/2026, filed by an aggrieved party member, Fayemi Babatunde.

The appellant in the appeal challenged the validity of the Ekiti State governorship primary, arguing that the party leadership that conducted the exercise lacked the legitimacy and legal authority to constitute an electoral committee.

The appellant specifically faulted the NWC led by Dr Sadiq Gombe, describing it as illegally constituted and in violation of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

He also sought an order restraining INEC from recognising candidates produced by the disputed leadership.

The case was initially dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on January 19, 2026, with Justice Emeka Nwite affirming Gombe as the party’s authentic chairman and upholding the legality of the party’s processes.

However, following the appeal lodged before it, the appellate court partially overturned the lower court’s decision, holding that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to make pronouncements on the SDP leadership tussle.

Delivering its judgment, the three-member panel of justices, which included Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, Justice Abba Mohammed, and Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, ruled that any findings made without jurisdiction were null and void.

“The appeal succeeds in part,” the court held, affirming only that the appellant was not an aspirant in the disputed primary.

The court subsequently set aside the Federal High Court’s pronouncement recognising Gombe as the authentic leader of the party, as well as its validation of the November 8, 2025 primary election.

Despite nullifying those aspects, the appellate court relied on INEC’s monitoring report (Exhibit INEC 3), which confirmed that the primary election was conducted with valid delegates and produced a winner, Mr Bankole Oludele.