The Supreme Court has nullified the Court of Appeal judgment that recognised Shehu Gabam as National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The apex court, in suit SC/CV/229/2026 decided on Friday, May 22, 2026, unanimously set aside the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal which had been relied upon by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Gabam as the authentic leader of the SDP.
As reported by Sahara Reporters, the case is connected to the long-running leadership crisis within the party and disputes over the conduct of party primaries, especially the Ekiti State governorship primary election.
The legal dispute started after SDP member, Fayemi Babatunde, challenged the legality of the Ekiti governorship primary election. He argued that the National Working Committee led by Dr. Sadiq Gombe was not properly constituted under the SDP constitution and the Electoral Act, and therefore lacked the authority to organise valid party primaries. Babatunde also asked the court to stop INEC from recognising candidates produced from the disputed process.
Earlier, the Federal High Court in Abuja had dismissed the suit on January 19, 2026. Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the Gombe-led leadership was valid and that the party’s processes were lawful. However, the matter later went to the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
In its judgment delivered on March 27, 2026, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal partly overturned the Federal High Court ruling. The appellate court held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to make final decisions on the internal leadership dispute of the SDP. Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, who delivered the lead judgment alongside Justices Abba Mohammed and Oyejoju Oyewumi, ruled that findings made without jurisdiction were null and void.
The Court of Appeal also set aside parts of the Federal High Court judgment that recognised Dr. Sadiq Gombe as the authentic chairman of the party and validated the November 8, 2025 governorship primary election. However, the appellate court still relied on INEC’s monitoring report, which stated that the primary election was properly conducted and produced Mr. Bankole Oludele as winner.
Following the appellate court ruling, INEC updated its official records in April and listed Shehu Gabam as National Chairman of the SDP and Olu Agunloye as National Secretary. Other National Working Committee members were also displayed on the commission’s website with the note “By Court Order.”
With the latest ruling by the Supreme Court, the appellate court judgment that formed the basis of INEC’s recognition of the SDP leadership has now been set aside, reopening questions surrounding the party’s leadership structure and internal affairs.