The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal arising from the prolonged leadership dispute within the Social Democratic Party (SDP), bringing another phase of the litigation involving former National Chairman Shehu Gabam to a close.
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Prince Adewole Adebayo, counsel to the SDP and the presidential candidate recognised by the Gombe-led faction for the 2027 election, disclosed the outcome to journalists after proceedings at the apex court. Recent reports have also described Adebayo as the SDP’s 2027 presidential candidate, although a rival SDP leadership has disputed his status.
According to Adebayo, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal after holding that there was no longer a live issue requiring determination.
“The Supreme Court said there’s no live issue here, and dismissed the case. So that’s the end of anything to do with Gabam and all of that in SDP,” he said.
The latest proceedings arose from a Federal High Court judgment which had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Gabam in the party’s leadership structure.
The SDP faction led by Prof. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe challenged that judgment at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
On August 12, 2026, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal set aside the Federal High Court decision. The appellate court held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to determine matters concerning the internal leadership of a political party.
Significantly, the Court of Appeal did not itself pronounce on who should be recognised as the substantive National Chairman of the SDP, maintaining that questions of internal party leadership are generally matters for the party to determine in accordance with its constitution and internal processes.
The plaintiff in the original Federal High Court action subsequently approached the Supreme Court to challenge the Court of Appeal judgment.
Adebayo said the apex court has now dismissed that appeal on the ground that there was no longer a live controversy requiring adjudication.
He explained that Gabam had already been removed by the faction he represents and had not personally challenged that removal, adding that the original action was instituted by another party member seeking judicial recognition of Gabam.
“We argued the case that the Court of Appeal should correct that judge, and the Court of Appeal set aside the judgment,” Adebayo said.
The latest case comes against the background of an earlier Supreme Court judgment in SC/CV/229/2026, arising from another aspect of the SDP’s internal disputes. The Supreme Court’s official records confirm the case, Fayemi Tosin Babatunde v. INEC & Ors., while the May 2026 judgment had earlier set aside a Court of Appeal decision relied upon in the controversy surrounding INEC’s recognition of the party’s leadership.
Reacting to the latest development, Prof. Sadiq Umar Gombe described the decision as a victory for the party and democracy.
“I think we are happy, and this is victory not only for the SDP, but a victory for democracy,” he said.
Gombe maintained that the party’s resort to the courts had been aimed at resolving questions concerning democratic governance and its internal processes.
“Whenever you see SDP at any of the court, either Federal or Court of Appeal or here, we are always here in defence of democracy, not just in defence of SDP as a party,” he added.
Adebayo also said the SDP still has two separate matters involving INEC pending before the Supreme Court.
According to him, those cases challenge aspects of INEC’s election timetable, particularly the periods allowed political parties for the nomination and substitution of candidates.
He maintained that the cases were not filed because the SDP was unable to comply with the timetable, but to obtain judicial clarification on the extent of INEC’s powers under the law.
“The reason we brought the case to court is not because we, particularly SDP, are not able to cope with the timetable. It is to limit the abuse of the electoral process by INEC,” Adebayo said.
“INEC’s job is to be a servant of democracy and to follow the law as stated.”
The latest dismissal therefore concludes the particular appeal arising from the Federal High Court judgment concerning Gabam, while the two separate SDP cases challenging aspects of INEC’s electoral timetable remain pending before the Supreme Court.
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