Police summon SDP leaders over leadership crisis

The leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party has taken a new twist after police reportedly invited members of the party’s National Working Committee over an alleged attempt to take over its national headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, SDP National Chairman, Sadiq Gombe, confirmed that he was informed of the police invitation, although he said he did not personally receive any formal notice.

Gombe said all members of the NWC were, however, affected by the invitation linked to the disputed internal crisis and the failed move to take over the party secretariat.

He said, “I was told the SDP leadership had been invited by the police following the failed attempt to take over our party headquarters. I didn’t receive any such invitation personally, but I realise all members of the NWC were invited. I want to assure you that we are always ready.

The police don’t even need to invite us. When this thing happened, we wrote a letter to the Inspector-General of Police. We asked him to investigate the fraudulent and financial crimes against the expelled national chairman to the tune of N626m. The IG minuted to his former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Sadiq.

“We were there following the matter for three months. They could not prosecute or investigate Gabam. Then we had to write another letter to the IG as a reminder on our petition against the expelled national chairman. The IG wrote again to the DIG and asked him to continue with the investigation.”

The SDP chairman lamented that the party’s petitions to the police and other security agencies over alleged financial misconduct within the party had not yielded results, despite what he described as repeated official directives for investigations.

Gombe questioned the rationale for fresh police invitations, insisting that the matter had already been escalated to institutions including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Department of State Services without action.

He reiterated that affected individuals were given fair hearing opportunities through a disciplinary committee process chaired by Sadiq Lima, but allegedly refused to participate, leading to a white paper review that recommended their expulsion.

Rejecting claims that external bodies such as the Independent National Electoral Commission could determine party leadership, the SDP chairman insisted that internal party affairs remained the exclusive preserve of political parties as affirmed by the Supreme Court.

He said, “The committee sat for 14 days in our national headquarters. Unfortunately, Gabam and the national youth leader felt they are above the law, constitution of the party, and the electorate. They refused to appear before the disciplinary committee set up to give them a fair hearing and clear their names. But they refused.

“At the end of the day, we set up a white paper committee that reviewed the disciplinary committee report and recommended their expulsion. It’s not about us. The SDP is an institution governed by law, through its constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“So, INEC or any media propaganda is not what makes somebody chairman of a party. The Supreme Court in its wisdom has ruled severally that internal affairs of parties are exclusive to them. The parties are the ones to decide who should be their leader, not INEC.”

The development marks the latest escalation in the leadership tussle within the SDP following conflicting claims over the party’s authentic national leadership amid court rulings and interventions by INEC

Two weeks earlier, former National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, whose removal has remained contentious, allegedly stormed the party secretariat in Abuja with armed policemen in an attempt to reclaim control of the party structure.

The crisis deepened in October 2025 after Gabam, alongside Uchechukwu and the party’s National Auditor, Clarkson Nnadi, were expelled over allegations of misconduct and financial impropriety.