The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken a firm swipe at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the electoral umpire of overstepping its constitutional bounds by allegedly interfering in the party's internal leadership structure.
At the center of the dispute is INEC's decision to remove the name of Professor Sadiq Abubakar Gombe from its official records and replace it with Shehu Musa Gabam as National Chairman of the SDP—an action the party describes as unlawful and without legal foundation.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Prof. Gombe dismissed the move as a serious administrative error, maintaining that no court ruling exists to justify the alteration. There is no court pronouncement anywhere giving INEC the power to install party chairmen, he declared. They cannot produce any such judgment. INEC has erred in this matter.
Gombe argued that INEC's action represents a dangerous intrusion into the autonomy of political parties, stressing that neither the Electoral Act nor the Constitution empowers the commission to determine party leadership. The internal affairs of political parties are governed strictly by their constitutions and democratic processes. INEC's role is regulatory—not managerial, he said.
Despite the controversy, the SDP leadership insists the party remains stable and united. Gombe rejected claims of internal wrangling, describing such reports as distortions aimed at creating confusion. There is no crisis in the SDP. We are fully in charge of our structures nationwide, he stated. He reaffirmed the legitimacy of the party's National Working Committee (NWC), noting that it derives its authority from decisions of the party's national convention.
Roadmap to 2027 Elections
Outlining the party's roadmap ahead of the 2027 general elections, Gombe announced that nationwide congresses will commence from May 1 to May 5, 2026, beginning at the grassroots. The schedule is as follows:
- May 1–2: Ward congresses nationwide
- May 3: Local government congresses
- May 4: State congresses across the 36 states and the FCT
- May 5: Zonal congresses across the six geopolitical zones
According to him, the exercise will produce delegates and leadership structures that will feed into the party's national convention. The SDP National Convention has been fixed for May 9, 2026, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi.
The convention will bring together delegates from across the federation to consolidate our preparations for 2027, Gombe said, adding that logistical and accreditation arrangements are already underway.
We Are Focused on 2027
Reiterating the party's political direction, Gombe stressed that the SDP remains committed to presenting a credible ideological alternative to Nigerians. We are focused and not distracted. Our eyes are on 2027, he said.
He, however, issued a caution to INEC, urging the commission to respect institutional limits and avoid actions capable of undermining democratic principles. Political parties are not extensions of INEC. The commission must operate within the boundaries of its constitutional mandate, he warned.
The SDP leadership expressed confidence that, despite the ongoing dispute over leadership recognition, the party will emerge from its congresses and convention stronger, more united, and strategically positioned for the 2027 general elections.
