A major crisis has erupted within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as 37 state chairmen of the party have thrown their weight behind the expulsion of its former National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, accusing him of financial misconduct, abuse of office, and betrayal of party trust.
The chairmen, under the aegis of the Forum of SDP State Chairmen, made the declaration at a press conference held on Wednesday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. They alleged that Gabam mismanaged and diverted party funds amounting to nearly ₦1 billion, vowing to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force to recover the money.
“This matter must be taken to all relevant investigative authorities, such as the EFCC and the police, for further investigation and recovery of the funds embezzled by the former National Chairman,” a spokesperson for the forum said.
“Seventy-five per cent of the embezzled funds belong to the states as stipulated by our constitution.
We need our money back and will not hesitate to pursue legal action to ensure justice is served.”
The forum slammed Gabam for running the party like a “business empire” arguing that he operated a network of proxy accounts to siphon off funds far beyond his official entitlement. They depicted his tenure as an ‘era riddled with extortion, intimidation and an unbridled cash‑centric exploitation of the office of the National Chairman’ insisting that his ouster was a corrective surgery to bring sanity back, to the SDP.
“Gabam’s actions have done irreparable damage to the image and values of our party. We will not allow such an unworthy character to continue dragging the SDP through the mud,” the forum declared.
In a show of unity the chairmen also backed the National Working Committee’s (NWC) decision to expel Gabam and former National Youth Leader Ogbonna Uchechukwu after the party adopted a White Paper that distilled the Disciplinary Committee’s findings. The committee was chaired by retired Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadiq Liman.
“We are not speaking based on rumours but on facts and evidence presented to the Disciplinary Committee, on which we were duly represented,” the chairmen said.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, had earlier confirmed the expulsion, describing it as a necessary move to “restore integrity, discipline, and order” within the SDP.
However, in a swift reaction, Gabam dismissed his expulsion as “illegal and inconsequential,” insisting he remains the legitimate national chairman of the SDP.
In a statement issued through his Special Assistant (Legal), Abubakar Baba, Gabam described the NWC’s decision as a “desperate ploy by impostors to hijack the party.”
“I remain the national chairman of the SDP. Any meeting or decision taken without my authority is unconstitutional and void,” he stated.