‎BY AHMED AKANBI

‎The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has declared that a Federal High Court judgement being relied upon by its expelled former National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, cannot alter the party’s leadership structure.

‎In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the party said the legal basis upon which the High Court ruling was founded had already been set aside by the Supreme Court.

‎According to him, the High Court relied on a Court of Appeal judgement that the apex court voided on May 22, 2026.

‎“To tamper with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party based on this High Court judgement would amount to the High Court overruling the Supreme Court by restoring to life a Court of Appeal judgement, which the Supreme Court has set aside and voided by its judgement of May 22, 2026,” Aiyenigba stated.

‎The party further clarified that the judgement in question did not direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Gabam as the National Chairman or Ogbonna Okechukwu as the National Secretary.

‎It, therefore, urged the electoral body to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the appeal filed against the decision.

‎Aiyenigba also referenced existing Supreme Court pronouncements on the matter, noting that the apex court has consistently held that courts lack jurisdiction to determine who occupies the offices of National Chairman and National Secretary of a political party.

‎He said any attempt to enforce the High Court ruling would amount to a direct affront to that position.

‎On the Osun State governorship tussle, the SDP dismissed a suit filed by Salawu Adeniyi Mustapha Adeoti, insisting that he (Adeoti) neither participated in its governorship primary nor emerged as its candidate, and reaffirmed that Dr Ajala remains the party’s valid flag bearer for the election.

‎Gabam had through his lawyers forwarded the Federal High Court judgement to INEC, urging the commission to act on it and effect changes in the party’s leadership records. The move sparked fresh controversy within the party over who rightfully controls its structures.

‎The SDP, however, maintained that the High Court judgement has been appealed and therefore cannot override the binding decision of the Supreme Court. It described the effort as an attempt to create confusion and destabilise the party ahead of upcoming political activities.

‎The party called on its members, supporters and the general public to disregard what it termed distractions, stressing its commitment to due process, internal democracy and respect for the rule of law. It assured that the current leadership remains intact and recognised under the law.

‎The SDP concluded by urging INEC and other stakeholders to be guided by the Supreme Court’s judgement of May 22, 2026, and to avoid actions that could undermine the finality of decisions of the apex court in the nation’s democratic process.

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