Gombe Says Bank Records Stalled SDP Ex-Chairman’s N35m Fraud Trial

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Sodiq Abubakar Gombe, has said the ongoing criminal trial of the party’s former national chairman, Shehu Gabam, over alleged N35 million fraud was stalled at the Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.

He explained that the adjournment became necessary due to the inability of the party to obtain key bank records required to support its evidence in the case.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to July 20, 2026, to allow the disputed documents to be made available for continuation of hearing.

Speaking with journalists after Wednesday’s proceedings, Gombe said the bank statement sought by the party remains central to its case against the former chairman and that its absence affected progress in court.

He said the party had formally requested the document from a commercial bank but encountered delays due to administrative procedures required for processing and certification.

“The case has been adjourned to 20th July as a result of our inability to lay our hands on one of the key documents that are going to be tendered in the case, which is the bank statement,” Gombe said.

According to him, when the bank failed to release the statement directly to the party, the SDP resorted to legal means by applying through the court registry for a subpoena compelling the bank to produce the records.

“We applied to the bank, and the bank was not able to give us the document. So we had to go through the registry of the court to subpoena the bank to bring the said document,” he added.

Gombe further explained that the bank indicated the records were bulky and required internal clearance from its headquarters before certification and release.

He said the financial institution requested additional time to complete the process, which the court considered in granting the adjournment.

The case, marked DCC/10/2026, stems from allegations that Gabam mismanaged party funds during his tenure as national chairman.

He was arraigned in May 2026 over alleged financial misappropriation involving N35 million, but has denied wrongdoing as proceedings continue.

With the adjournment, the focus of the trial is expected to shift to the production of the bank documents, which the SDP says are crucial to its case.