The leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) worsened on Wednesday after the faction loyal to the reinstated National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, announced the expulsion of 13 key party figures, including the party’s sole presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo. The development unfolded during the party’s National Convention and Presidential Primary held in Abuja, where delegates loyal to Gabam also adopted Lagos businessman Abimbola Atanda as the party’s new sole presidential candidate through a voice vote.
Those expelled alongside Adebayo include factional National Chairman Sadiq Gombe, National Secretary Olu Agunloye, National Publicity Secretary Rufus Aiyenigba, Joseph Abu, Maggie Batubo, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, Abimbola Aderemi, Oguchukwu Uba, Huseesini Bello, Alabi Lekan, Rosemary Effiong and Abubakar Modibo. The convention also moved to dissolve the National Working Committee before electing a fresh set of national officers through a voice vote.
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The newly inaugurated National Working Committee members include Gabam as National Chairman. Announcing the decision, the party leadership said the expelled members were sanctioned for allegedly undermining the party’s constitution and internal cohesion. Addressing journalists after the oath-taking ceremony, Gabam declared that the crisis threatening the party had finally been overcome, stating that they had followed a good process and had bounced back fully operational.
However, the Gombe-led faction dismissed Wednesday’s convention and expulsions as illegal and lacking constitutional backing.
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