The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to halt the recognition of Mr Olaitan Salawu-Adeniyi as its governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun State election.
In a statement on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, said the SDP also prayed the appellate court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from implementing the June 24, 2026 judgment of the Federal High Court pending the determination of its appeal.
The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1011/2026, arose from Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026 delivered by Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
According to the party, the lower court’s order directing INEC to act on an earlier Court of Appeal judgment recognising Shehu Gabam as SDP National Chairman conflicts with a Supreme Court judgment delivered on May 22, 2026, which it said set aside the appellate court’s decision.
”The party is seeking an order staying the execution of the Federal High Court judgment pending the determination of its appeal, as well as an order restraining INEC from implementing the decision until the appeal is resolved,” Aiyenigba stated.
The SDP argued that its appeal raises substantial legal issues requiring judicial determination, warning that enforcing the judgment before the appeal is heard could render it nugatory if it eventually succeeds.
The party said maintaining the status quo would serve the interest of justice until the final determination of the appeal.
It added that the dispute stemmed from the conduct of the Osun governorship primary involving Salawu-Adeniyi, Gabam and former National Youth Leader, Ogbonna Okechukwu, whom the party described as non-members.
The respondents in the appeal are Salawu-Adeniyi, INEC, Gabam and another former National Youth Leader, Uchechukwu Chukwuma.
The case is the latest twist in the legal battle over SDP leadership and the nomination of its candidate for the Osun 2026 governorship election.