Sadiq Gombe: There Is No Way Any Court Can Enforce Gabam On Us As Chairman, His Time Has Elapsed

Sadiq Gombe: There Is No Way Any Court Can Enforce Gabam On Us As Chairman, His Time Has Elapsed

Erstwhile SDP National Chairman, Professor Sadiq Gombe discusses SDP leadership dispute, says Shehu Gabam is no longer a party member.

Erstwhile Social Democratic Party, (SDP), National Chairman, Professor Gombe, has dismissed claims that any court ruling can restore Shehu Musa Gabam as chairman of the SDP, insisting that Gabam ceased to be a member after failing to challenge his expulsion through the party’s internal appeal mechanism.

“The issue is when a member did not explore any internal mechanism within the party, which the party constitution has given leverage for any member suspended or expelled to appeal any decision of the party. He did not do that, and his time has elapsed, and there is no way any court will enforce him on us as a chairman or even as a member because he has been expelled from the party,” he insisted.

Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Professor Gombe said SDP’s NEC handled Gabam’s case constitutionally and informed INEC, noting suspension in June 2023, expulsion in August 2023, ratification in October 2023, and a NEC meeting on March 9, 2026.

“The National Working Committee of the party found Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam in issues to do with malpractice, fraud, and criminal breach of the constitution of the party. It suspended him and set up a committee under Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadiq Giman to investigate the matter. He was suspended for an un-fettered investigation. Then he was given a fair hearing to appear before the committee that sat at the national secretariat for two consecutive weeks from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM for 14 days. Three of the members of the National Working Committee were suspended: Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, amongst others.“Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam and others had five days within which to appeal on the judgment—five working days—according to Article 19c of this constitution, which he did not appeal. The party went ahead to expel him from the party. When you are expelled from the party and refuse to appeal, you lose the right to your membership of the party.

“Thereafter—that was in June, his suspension; August is expulsion; ratification in October 2023. INEC was fully and duly informed of all these decisions by a resolution of the party that was signed by a majority, almost 90%, of the members of the National Working Committee. INEC was there to monitor the National Executive Committee of the party, which 62 members of NEC were there,” he explained.

Gombe insisted that the dispute over leadership is not for external bodies to determine, arguing that the SDP acted within its constitutional powers and duly communicated its decisions to the INEC.

“The issue here is not between us and INEC, or any court of competent jurisdiction, to decide who is the leader or chairman of any political party,” he maintained.

He further claimed that Shehu Gabam did not challenge his suspension or expulsion in court and remained absent from the party secretariat for months after the decisions were taken. According to him, this lack of legal challenge meant the party’s actions stood unaltered within its constitutional framework.

“INEC gave him recognition based on this: this is a judgment of the Appeal Court. Neither did Gabam, after his suspension or expulsion, go to any court of competent jurisdiction to challenge his suspension. Neither did he challenge his expulsion from the party. Neither did any court of law set aside the suspension or expulsion of Gabam by the SDP’s lawful organ that did that. So since Gabam did not respond or rather challenge his expulsion or suspension for eleven months, Gabam did not step into the party secretariat of SDP,” Professor Gombe said.

Professor Gombe maintained that his position as national chairman is grounded in decisions taken by the party’s NEC and NWC, which he said remain constitutionally empowered to run the party.

“No doubt about that. The legal and institutional claim of what I made is the NEC of the party, which is the body responsible for the running of the party, and the NWC of the party that is still intact.”

He claimed that 11 members of the NWC and 62 NEC members ratified the expulsion of Shehu Gabam and also confirmed his appointment as chairman through formal resolutions.

“Eleven members—here is the signature of the eleven members of the National Working Committee of the party that did that. Here are the 62 members of NEC that met and ratified the expulsion of Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam in a resolution and also ratified my appointment as the National Chairman,” he said.