The leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party worsened on Wednesday after the faction loyal to the reinstated National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, announced the expulsion of 13 key party figures, including the party’s sole presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo.
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The dramatic development unfolded during the party’s national convention and presidential primaries held in Abuja, where delegates loyal to Gabam also adopted Lagos businessman, Abimbola Atanda, as the party’s new sole presidential candidate through a voice vote.
Those expelled alongside Adebayo include factional National Chairman, Sadiq Gombe, National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, Joseph Abu, Maggie Batubo, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, Abimbola Aderemi, Oguchukwu Uba, Huseesini Bello, Alabi Lekan, Rosemary Effiong and Abubakar Modibo.
The convention also moved swiftly to dissolve the National Working Committee before electing a fresh set of national officers through a voice vote.
The newly inaugurated National Working Committee members include Gabam as National Chairman, Adebola Abbas as National Secretary, Ibrahim Biu as Deputy National Secretary, Dr Uchechukwu Chukwuma as National Organising Secretary, Muka’ila Mavo as National Legal Adviser, Zakari Nadabu as National Publicity Secretary, Hauwa Ahmed as National Woman Leader, Steven Otu as National Youth Leader and Abubakar Isiaka as National Financial Secretary.
Announcing the decision, the party leadership said the affected members were sanctioned for allegedly undermining the party’s constitution and internal cohesion.
“These disciplinary measures were taken following findings that the affected individuals acted in ways inconsistent with the ideals, principles, and constitutional provisions of the party, thereby undermining party cohesion and discipline.
“I therefore urge this distinguished house/body to approve and ratify the suspension and expulsion accordingly,” the NEC announced.
Addressing journalists shortly after the oath-taking ceremony, Gabam declared that the crisis threatening the party had finally been overcome.
He said, “We have come through a lot of challenges as a party. These challenges are all man-made. But we followed a good process. We were calm, steady and God, in His infinite mercy, has done the needful. We have bounced back and are fully operational.
“We have ensured that all the relevant organs that supervise our system and operation, including INEC, the judiciary and other institutions, were aware of some of the irregularities that took place.
“Being politicians trained in the heart of leadership, we maintain decorum to protect the sanctity of this platform that we have invested our lives to build.
“We built a momentum to the point of fundamental trust, reliability, and a better objective in our assessment of every situation in the country. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise that we had to go through turbulence as a party. But many people don’t know that turbulence strengthens political parties.
“Any party without a crisis is a briefcase political platform. It is a crisis that strengthens a party to understand some of the gaps and how to strengthen them. You can see that we are stronger today and more viable.”
But the Gombe-led faction dismissed Wednesday’s convention and expulsions as illegal and lacking constitutional backing.
Reacting in a telephone interview with our correspondent, spokesman of the faction, Aiyenigba, described the gathering as a “nullity,” insisting that Gabam ceased to be chairman after his earlier expulsion from the party.
According to him, INEC only recognised Gabam because of a subsisting court order.
He said, “In response to the call for an ADR meeting by INEC, the 11 members of the NWC of the Party were received in a meeting held by INEC Chairman last Monday with a full complement of his National Commissioners.
“The commission was comprehensively briefed by the NWC on the true situation of the SDP leadership. What Gabam and his co-jesters gathered in Abuja today had no basis of legality. It will not stand.
“The SDP is not a private estate of Shehu Gabam; it belongs to the Nigerian people.
“The members of the SDP family nationwide and the Nigerian public are well aware of the unrelenting shenanigans and ignoble conduct of these characters who pride themselves as ‘career politicians.”
The latest purge comes about seven months after the Gombe-led leadership announced the expulsion of Gabam and some of his loyalists from the party, deepening an internal battle over the control of the SDP structure ahead of the 2027 general election.
The crisis took another turn in April when the INEC formally recognised Gabam’s leadership, effectively ending months of uncertainty over the authentic national leadership of the party.
INEC subsequently updated its official website with a bold inscription, “By Court Order,” before listing members of the party’s executive committee, except for the office of the National Secretary.
Under the updated structure, Gabam was recognised as National Chairman, while Agunloye remained listed as National Secretary. Other officials displayed on the commission’s portal included National Treasurer, Hajia Maggie Mariam, and National Legal Adviser, Aderemi Abimbola.
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