SDP Crisis Deepens as Executive Committee Sacks Gabam, NWC Members

.Withdraws alliance with ADC, embattled secretary rejects dissolution, disassociates party from ADC

Chuks Okocha in Abuja 

The internal crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) took a dramatic turn yesterday as the party’s National Executive Committee dissolved the National Working Committee (NWC) led by suspended National Chairman, Shehu Gabam.

The NEC also announced withdrawal from any form of alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s coalition, which includes the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

But the embattled National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye, has rejected the dissolution of the NWC, insisting the action holds no legal weight.

The decision to dissolve the party’s NWC was announced at an emergency NEC meeting held in Abuja and presided over by the party’s National Financial Secretary, Ibrahim Biu.

According to Biu, “The NWC, by this resolution, stands dissolved. We hereby nominate the following persons to take charge of the affairs of our great party, and to move the party forward.”

The new interim leaders announced include Adamu Modibo (National Chairman), Abubakar Dogara (Deputy Chairman), Ekpeyong Ambo (National Secretary), Joseph Abu (National Organising Secretary), and Chief Solsuema Osaro (National Legal Adviser). 

Others are Judith Shuaibu (National Publicity Secretary), Ibrahim Biu (Financial Secretary), and Eluwa Ifeanyi (National Youth Speaker).

Biu told journalists that it was unfortunate the NEC took such a drastic measure following failed attempts to resolve the internal crisis. 

“In the last couple of months, our party, unfortunately, was engulfed in a leadership crisis. You are fully aware, somehow, that the party has been factionalised. A group loyal to the National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye suspended the National Chairman, Shehu Gabam on allegations of misappropriation and fraud,” Biu stated.

“On the other hand, the national chairman debunked those allegations and equally considered the so-called appointments made by the group of the secretary as illegal. That resulted in a kind of scuffle to the extent that the two groups clashed at the National Secretary of SDP. That created a crisis that security operatives had to intervene.”

Continuing, he noted that despite efforts by the NEC to reconcile the factions, the crisis has severely damaged the party’s image and progress.

“This has seriously affected our supporters and we felt all these efforts we put in the last three years, since our last convention in 2022, somehow because of this crisis, seem to be lost. And we cannot afford it.

“We have put in so much effort to build this party to this level. It’s for this reason that we decided to say, let’s come together.

“If the leadership of the party is not ready to provide remedy to this situation, then you, NEC members, especially at the state level, should come together and see what we can do so that we can restore the confidence and trust of our teaming supporters.”

In a related development, the NEC also announced SDP’s withdrawal from any form of alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s coalition, which includes the African Democratic Congress.

Deputy Chairman Abubakar Dogara,who gave further clarification on the party’s position said, “Recently, there was this issue of coming together of major political stakeholders in the country and some political parties to form a coalition, which SDP was part of in the initial stage.

“But later, the person that represented SDP in that coalition meeting explained to the coalition that SDP are still contesting the by-elections across our 12 states and that the party was not ready to lose our identity. So the party decided to remain as SDP for the time being.

“Stakeholders were engaged later and everybody agreed that the party should remain as an individual political party. Therefore, the SDP is not part of the coalition. So we will be contesting in the 2027 general elections with our presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates.”

Meanwhile, the embattled National Secretary, Dr. Agunloye in a statement said the NEC members were loyalists of the other faction carrying out a hatchet job,

He said, “This is to let members of the National Executive Committee of our great party know that the National Working Committee at its meeting passed a resolution, dissociating itself and the national leadership of the party from the so-called NEC meeting in Abuja.

“The NWC urges all our elected federal and state legislators, Zonal Officers and State Chairmen, to disregard this illegal and irregular NEC meeting. About 13 State Chairmen had already sent sworn affidavits, as of 23/7/25, through various lawyers to the INEC Chairman to dissociate themselves from the Bissallah-Modibbo NEC call, claiming their signatures were misappropriated and improperly used.

“The NWC enjoins all our esteemed State Chairmen to be properly guided and not be lured into a trap to avoid sanctions for breach of SDP Constitution.”