The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court recognising expelled Shehu Gabam as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The appellate court made this known in a unanimous judgment delivered on Wednesday by a three-member panel comprising Justices Fadawu Umaru, M.S. Hassan and L.A. Ganiyu.
In his lead judgment, Justice Fadawu Umaru declared the judgment of Justice M.G. Umar in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026 null and void.
The development followed an appeal filed by the SDP leadership under Prof Abubakar Sadiq Gombe against the Federal High Court judgment recognising Gabam as the party’s National Chairman.
The Court of Appeal held that the basis upon which the Federal High Court delivered its judgment was faulty, noting that the Supreme Court had already ruled on the matter in favour of Sadiq’s leadership.
Speaking after the judgment, SDP presidential candidate and counsel to the appellants, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said the appellate court unanimously ruled in favour of the SDP in all six applications considered during the proceedings.
He said the Court of Appeal also declared the Federal High Court judgment recognising Gabam null and void because it contradicted an earlier decision of the Supreme Court.
“Today, the Court of Appeal set aside the Federal High Court judgment which our former National Chairman Mr Shehu Musa Gabam, was using to compel INEC to recognise him as National Chairman, even though he has been expelled from the party, and to recognise another expelled former member as an acting National Secretary.
“In today’s judgment by the Court of Appeal, six applications by the parties were considered, and the Court of Appeal unanimously ruled in favour of the SDP in all the applications.
“And the substantive appeal, the Court of Appeal took two decisions.
“One, that the judgment of the court recognising Shehu Gabam of the Federal High Court is null and void; it’s a nullity because it contradicts the decision earlier delivered by the Supreme Court on May 22, 2026, and no court in Nigeria and no person in Nigeria can contradict the Supreme Court.
“So, to the extent that the judge, Justice Umar of the Federal High Court, even entertained any question about the leadership of the SDP or even the opportunity to recognise our court hearing to Shehu Gabam and his team, it is null and void.
“Secondly, the court affirmed that Ajala, Dr Francis Ajala, having been nominated by the SDP as its governorship candidate in Osun State, the Federal High Court was wrong to even listen to the plaintiff, Salahu, who claims to be the SDP candidate for Gabam,” Adebayo said.
He described the judgment as the conclusion of a prolonged legal battle over the leadership of the party.
He stressed that the judiciary had played a significant role in resolving the dispute and providing guidance to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“That’s the summary of the long four hours of delivery. And you have to note that prior to these six rulings being made today and the judgment of the Court of Appeal, last week the court itself had entertained a lot of applications.
“So, the judiciary has done very well for Nigeria and has guided INEC very well.
“I can tell you categorically, subject to the will of God, you will never hear of any leadership dispute in the SDP for the next 100 years. That is over and settled.
“It is how to get rid of Tinubu and his calamitous government that is now the agenda before the party and the people of Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, commended the judiciary for what he described as the expedited resolution of the case.
