Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken a new twist after police reportedly invited members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) over an alleged attempt to take over its national headquarters in Abuja. The development, which came barely weeks after police sealed the party secretariat ahead of its Bauchi convention, now threatens to further paralyse one of Nigeria’s leading opposition platforms as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, May 23, 2026, the SDP National Chairman, Professor 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 affected by the invitation, which he linked to the disputed internal crisis and a failed move to take over the party secretariat.
“I was told the SDP leadership had been invited by the police following the failed attempt to take over our party headquarters,” Gombe said. “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 N626 million.”
The crisis that led to the police invitation stems from a long‑running power struggle within the SDP. In October 2025, the party’s leadership expelled its then National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, along with several other officials, over allegations of gross misconduct, financial infractions and anti‑party activities. A five‑member investigative committee chaired by Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Abubakar Lima was constituted to probe the allegations. According to Gombe, while some of the accused officials appeared before the committee, others, including Gabam, refused to honour the invitations extended to them. The committee’s report was adopted by the NWC and later ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on March 9, 2026.
However, Gabam has refused to accept his removal, and his faction has continued to lay claim to the party’s leadership. The dispute escalated dramatically on May 7, 2026, when Gabam allegedly arrived at the SDP national secretariat in Abuja with armed policemen and supporters, in what the SDP leadership described as a forceful attempt to take over the premises. The incident led to the police sealing the secretariat, a move the party condemned as “reckless” and “partisan”.
Speaking at a press conference after the secretariat was sealed, the National Secretary of the SDP, Dr. Olu Agunloye, alleged that armed policemen accompanied by dogs stormed the secretariat while officials were preparing for the party’s national convention scheduled for Bauchi State. Agunloye accused the police of forcing everyone out of the premises after claiming they were acting to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“We told them this looks like a ploy. You want us to go out so that another group can come in and take over the office. We have seen similar tactics in other parties,” Agunloye said at the time.
The SDP leadership further accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of meddling in its internal affairs. According to Gombe, INEC had invited the party to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) meeting over the leadership dispute, even though the party insisted there was no internal disagreement warranting such intervention.
“There is no internal dispute in the SDP. Out of the 15 members of the NWC elected in 2022, all remain intact except those we were lawfully expelled after due process,” Agunloye had maintained. “None of the expelled officials exhausted the party’s internal appeal mechanisms or secured any court order nullifying their expulsion.”
Gombe, however, raised concerns about the effectiveness of previous petitions to security agencies. He lamented that despite writing to the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of financial misconduct, no substantive action had been taken.
“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,” Gombe said.
The SDP chairman questioned the rationale for the fresh police invitations, noting that the matter had already been escalated to multiple anti‑graft and security agencies without any results. He insisted that the party’s internal disciplinary process had followed due procedure, and that the expelled members were given fair hearing opportunities, which they allegedly refused.
“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,” Gombe stated.
He also pointed to the Supreme Court’s position that internal affairs of political parties are beyond the purview of INEC or any external authority. “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,” he said.
The SDP had, however, proceeded with its national convention in Bauchi State on May 9, 2026, in defiance of the police action. The convention was initially scheduled to hold earlier but was postponed due to the crisis. At the convention, the party’s leadership, loyal to Gombe, ratified the expulsion of Gabam and other officials, and further expelled the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, along with several other senior members. The Gabam faction, in turn, held a separate convention in Abuja and announced the expulsion of the Gombe‑led NWC.
The crisis has left the SDP deeply fractured, with two factions claiming legitimacy. The police invitation to members of the NWC loyal to Gombe signals a new phase in the dispute, with law enforcement now officially involved. It remains unclear whether the police will also invite members of the Gabam faction or whether the invitations are part of a broader effort to resolve the leadership tussle.
Meanwhile, the SDP has maintained its position that the police action is unnecessary and partisan. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, had earlier condemned the police intervention, describing it as “reckless” and lacking legal justification. He accused security agencies of acting with political bias and called on them to uphold professionalism and fairness.
As the crisis deepens, the SDP’s ability to present a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections remains uncertain. The party, which had been seen as a potential vehicle for opposition forces, is now fighting a battle for its own survival. Whether the police invitations will lead to a resolution or further escalate the conflict remains to be seen. For now, the SDP’s internal war has moved from the party secretariat to the police station.
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