The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been thrown into deeper turmoil as 37 state chairmen have endorsed the expulsion of the party’s former National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, accusing him of massive financial impropriety and abuse of office.
Speaking at a press conference held at the SDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, the Forum of State Chairmen described Gabam’s removal as “a long-overdue corrective surgery” to save the party from further collapse.
The chairmen alleged that the former party leader, alongside other expelled officials, diverted nearly ₦1 billion in party funds, warning that they would petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies to recover the alleged loot.
“This matter must be brought before the EFCC and the police for thorough investigation. About 75 per cent of the misappropriated funds, close to ₦1 billion, belong to the states as clearly stated in our party constitution,” the forum said. “We want our money back — if not, we may be forced to take legal action.”
The chairmen accused Gabam of “turning the SDP into a personal cash cow”, claiming he operated multiple personal and proxy accounts through which he allegedly laundered party resources far beyond his approved entitlements.
According to them, Gabam’s time in office was characterized by “extortion, oppression, and reckless commercialization of the national chairman’s office”, which they said had caused “irreparable damage to the image and ethos of the SDP.”
The forum threw its weight behind the National Working Committee’s (NWC) decision to expel Gabam and his ally, Ogbonna Uchechukwu, the party’s former National Youth Leader. Their expulsion followed the adoption of a White Paper based on findings from a Disciplinary Committee led by retired Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadiq Liman.
“We speak not from speculation but from facts established through our representation on the Disciplinary Committee,” the forum added.
The latest development is the climax of a months-long internal feud that has left the SDP sharply divided. Gabam and several officials were initially suspended in June over alleged financial misconduct and later expelled in October after what the party described as a fair disciplinary process.
The SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, had earlier confirmed the expulsions, saying the decision was taken to “restore discipline, integrity, and internal cohesion within the party.”
However, Gabam has rejected his expulsion, describing it as illegal and politically motivated. In a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Legal), Abubakar Baba, Gabam insisted that he remains the legitimate national chairman of the SDP.
“This so-called expulsion is a desperate move by impostors to destabilize the party,” Gabam said. “Under our constitution, only the national chairman has the authority to convene or preside over such meetings. Any decision taken without my approval is null and void.”
The intensifying dispute now threatens to split the SDP ahead of its upcoming national convention, with both factions trading accusations of corruption and illegitimacy.
While the forum of state chairmen says the party must undergo “a clinical operation to remove the cancer of Gabamism,” the embattled former chairman appears determined to fight back — setting the stage for a prolonged legal and political battle that could shape the party’s future direction.
Efforts to reach Gabam for further comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, as calls and messages sent to him were not returned.
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