The embattled National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Gabam, has denied claims of his suspension, insisting he remains in full control of the party’s leadership and operations.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday at the SDP national secretariat in Abuja, Gabam dismissed the announcement of his purported suspension by a faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), which accused him of financial impropriety.
He described the suspension notice as an illegal and desperate attempt to destabilise the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“There was no such meeting of the NWC. No individual has the power to remove a sitting chairman without following due process. It’s clear that this is an attempt to create confusion,” Gabam stated.
Flanked by members of the NWC who paid him a solidarity visit, Gabam said the letter submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the rival group was fraudulent and did not reflect the true position of the party.
He alleged that there are political forces working both from within and outside the party to hijack its structure.
“This is not the first time I’ve been targeted. I’ve survived assassination attempts before. These are sponsored attacks,” he said.
On the allegations of financial misconduct, Gabam maintained that the party’s finances had undergone scrutiny and were above board.
“Our accounts have been audited by INEC, reviewed by external auditors, and published in national newspapers. Every kobo spent was documented,” he asserted.
He also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution security agencies against being used to interfere in internal party affairs or to suppress political opposition.
“If we want democracy to thrive, we must not allow politicians to use security agencies as tools for political witch-hunts,” Gabam said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the party’s structures nationwide and preparing the SDP for a stronger outing in 2027.
