Party, Not INEC Decides SDP Leadership – Gombe

•Defends Gabam’s Expulsion Citing S’Court Ruling

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Sadiq Gombe, has insisted that the party’s leadership is determined by its constitutional organs and not by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or its portal.

Speaking after a meeting convened by INEC with leaders of registered political parties, Gombe said the Supreme Court had already affirmed that party leadership remains an internal affair of political parties.

He defended the expulsion of Shehu Musa Gaban and two others, saying due process was followed through the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and disciplinary procedures.

According to him, the affected members were given the opportunity to defend themselves but failed to appear before the disciplinary committee.

He added that they neither appealed their sanctions through the party’s internal mechanisms nor obtained any court order overturning their expulsion.

“Our constitution provides clear procedures for discipline and appeal. Those affected failed to exhaust those options,” he said.

Gombe maintained that the NEC, as the party’s highest implementing organ, acted within its powers in taking disciplinary decisions.

He expressed confidence in INEC’s commitment to the rule of law and respect for the independence of political parties, noting that the commission monitored the SDP’s NEC meeting and subsequently verified its records.

The SDP chairman said the party had submitted certified copies of relevant Supreme Court judgments and NEC resolutions to INEC and remains confident that the commission will act in line with the law.

“The issue is not about the INEC portal. Political parties have the constitutional right to determine their leadership through their internal organs,” he said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the Commission is fully prepared for the June 20 Ekiti Governorship Election and has intensified preparations for the 2027 General Election.

He said Ekiti has 1,059,360 registered voters, with logistics, technology deployment and personnel training on schedule.

Amupitan said INEC has appealed recent court rulings affecting its 2027 election timetable, insisting that coordinated timelines are essential for orderly election management.

He announced that political parties will receive access codes to the Candidate Nomination Portal on June 26 and urged them to meet all deadlines.

The INEC chairman reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to credible, transparent elections and expressed concern over lingering leadership disputes in political parties.

On his part, IPAC Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, urged the National Assembly to review the Electoral Act 2026, saying the recent party primaries exposed serious flaws, particularly the removal of indirect primaries.

He said the law fueled disputes, increased the cost of conducting primaries and created uncertainty through conflicting court rulings.

Dantalle also condemned political violence in Osun State and called on INEC, security agencies and political actors to work towards credible and peaceful elections ahead of 2027.