The Court of Appeal in Abuja has officially upheld Prof Abubakar Sadiq Gombe as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), effectively concluding a prolonged legal dispute over the party’s leadership. A three-judge panel, presided over by Justice Fadawu Umaru, unanimously overturned a prior Federal High Court ruling that had supported the expelled member Shehu Gabam.
Following this ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved to recognize Gombe’s leadership, starting with the inclusion of the SDP on the ballot for the upcoming Osun State gubernatorial election. The appellate panel, which included Justices M.S. Hassan and L.A. Ganiyu, declared the previous lower court judgment a nullity.
Justice Umaru noted that the lower court erred by ignoring a Supreme Court precedent from May 22, 2026, which already favored Gombe. Prince Adewole Adebayo, the party’s lead counsel, confirmed that all six opposing applications were dismissed. The court also affirmed Dr. Francis Ajala as the official SDP governorship candidate for Osun. With this final judicial intervention, Gombe and party officials indicated that the organization is now prepared to shift its focus toward the 2027 general elections.
