By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — The leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken a dramatic turn as the warring factions led by Alhaji Shehu Gabam and Dr. Sadiq Abubakar have been dissolved, paving the way for a new National Working Committee (NWC) led by Adamu Modibo.
Modibo emerged as Acting National Chairman during an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Thursday at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, attended by 23 state chairmen including that of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In his acceptance speech, Modibo acknowledged the enormous task ahead, vowing to unite the party and restore order. “As you are aware, the party is in crisis. We are going to do our best to unite the party,” he said. “All other actions instituted by the former NWC members of the two factions are hereby stepped aside.”
Modibo further announced the dissolution of all standing committees and pledged to establish new disciplinary and reconciliation committees aimed at resolving internal conflicts and holding erring members accountable.
The newly elected Financial Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed Biu, who previously served as Deputy National Secretary, narrated the events that escalated the leadership feud. According to him, internal disputes between the suspended National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, and other party executives had fragmented the party and frustrated reconciliation efforts.
Biu stated, “Our party was engulfed in a leadership crisis. Allegations of misappropriation and fraud led to Gabam’s suspension by a faction loyal to the National Secretary. In turn, Gabam discredited the appointments made by the Secretary’s group, resulting in a standoff at the party’s national secretariat that drew security intervention.”
He lamented that the prolonged crisis has discouraged supporters and eroded public confidence. “Over the last three years, we built this party to an enviable level. We were beginning to attract big names—senators, former governors, and House of Reps members. But this crisis has threatened to undo all our progress,” he said.
However, the new development has been met with swift rejection by the faction loyal to Dr. Sadiq Abubakar and Dr. Olu Agunloye. In a statement on Thursday, Agunloye described the NEC meeting that produced Modibo as “illegal, unconstitutional, and unsanctioned.”
Agunloye said, “The NWC at its meeting passed a resolution dissociating itself and the national leadership of the party from the so-called NEC meeting being convened by Probity Law Firm. We urge all federal and state legislators, zonal officers, and state chairmen to disregard the illegal gathering.”
He added that attempts were made to halt the meeting and that several state chairmen had already submitted sworn affidavits to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disassociating themselves from the NEC call, claiming their signatures were used without consent.
The NWC also reportedly invited the key organisers—Messrs Bissallah, Modibo, and Ekpeyong—for a briefing on the constitutional procedure for NEC meetings, but the group allegedly disregarded the warnings.
It will be recalled that the SDP NWC had, on June 24, suspended Alhaji Shehu Gabam over allegations of gross financial misconduct, including embezzlement, misappropriation, and diversion of party funds. Two other NWC members—National Auditor Nze Nnadi Clarkson and National Youth Leader Uchechukwu Chukwuma—were also suspended on similar grounds.
According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the suspensions followed overwhelming evidence presented at an NWC meeting, linking the officials to unauthorized financial transactions and personal enrichment schemes.
As the power struggle intensifies, the future leadership and unity of the SDP now hang in the balance, with rival factions locked in a fierce legal and political standoff.
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