The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Shehu Gabam challenging the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), effectively affirming the position of Prof. Abubakar Sadiq Gombe as the party’s national chairman.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by a five-member panel of the apex court comprising Justices Adamu Jauro, Haruna Tsammani, A.A. Adumein, Jonah Adah and Joseph Oyewole.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Adamu Jauro said the appeal had become irrelevant and was therefore dismissed.
The case followed an earlier legal battle over the leadership of the SDP. In August, the Court of Appeal had set aside the judgment of Justice M.G. Umar in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026, which had recognised Gabam’s leadership of the party.
The Court of Appeal subsequently declared that judgment null and void, paving the way for the recognition of Gombe’s leadership.
Reacting to the Supreme Court decision, the SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said the dismissal had brought the leadership dispute to an end.
Adebayo said the Supreme Court had indicated that there was no longer a valid basis for the case to continue, adding that the decision marked the conclusion of the dispute involving Gabam’s claim to the party’s leadership.
“Supreme Court said that there is no life in the case and dismissed the case. That is the end of Shehu Gabam. There is nothing about the SDP leadership crisis coming up again,” Adebayo said.
The SDP presidential candidate also spoke about two other matters involving the party at the Supreme Court. According to him, one of the cases concerns the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and issues surrounding the timetable for the 2027 presidential election.
Adebayo said the party approached the court not specifically because of the modified election timetable but because it wanted to challenge what it described as possible abuse of INEC’s powers and ensure that the electoral process remained within the provisions of the law.
He maintained that INEC should serve the democratic process and operate in accordance with the law, particularly in a manner that allows opposition political parties to participate effectively in elections.
Meanwhile, Prof. Abubakar Sadiq Gombe, whose leadership was upheld following the legal proceedings, praised the Supreme Court for its decision and described it as a step in support of democracy.
The latest ruling brings another chapter of the SDP leadership dispute before the courts to a close, following the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and Wednesday’s dismissal of Gabam’s appeal by the Supreme Court.
