Pressure Mounts on INEC to Reinstate Gabam as SDP Chairman

Fresh debate has emerged over the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after a Federal High Court affirmed Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as the party’s National Chairman, with growing calls for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement the judgment.

The court ruling, delivered on June 24, 2026, has renewed discussions over the party’s leadership, with many Nigerians urging the electoral commission to update its records in line with the judgment.

INEC’s delay in acting on the court decision has attracted reactions on social media, especially on X, formerly known as Twitter, where many users insist that the ruling has settled the leadership dispute within the party.

Those commenting on the issue argue that the commission should officially recognise Gabam as the SDP National Chairman by reflecting the court’s decision in its records.

The latest development follows months of internal disagreements within the SDP, during which different groups laid claim to the party’s national leadership.

Supporters of Gabam said the crisis began after some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) attempted to suspend and later expel him from office.

According to them, those actions did not comply with the provisions of the SDP Constitution, which they said gives only the National Executive Council (NEC) or the National Convention the authority to remove a National Chairman, not the National Working Committee acting on its own.

Gabam’s supporters also argued that an earlier Supreme Court judgment involving the party did not decide who should occupy the position of National Chairman.

Instead, they said the apex court ruled that internal disputes within the party should be resolved in line with the SDP Constitution, leaving the party’s constitutional procedures to determine its leadership.

They maintained that the later judgment of the Federal High Court confirmed Gabam’s position as National Chairman under the party’s constitution and expected INEC to immediately implement the decision by updating its official records.

Some stakeholders and political observers also questioned why the electoral commission had yet to fully reflect the court’s ruling on its official portal despite the judgment having been delivered several weeks ago.

They called on INEC to comply with the court order and uphold the rule of law in handling the party’s leadership records.

Some of the commentators further alleged that external influence may have played a role in the commission’s administrative decisions regarding the SDP leadership.

Apart from the chairmanship issue, the stakeholders also urged INEC to review other entries relating to the SDP on its official records, including the recognition of party officials and decisions reached during the party’s national convention, which they said was monitored by the electoral commission in Abuja.