The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has officially written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about the suspension of its National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, along with two other top officials, following serious allegations involving conspiracy, fraud, and the misuse of party funds.
In a letter dated June 25 and sent to the INEC Chairman, the SDP stated that the suspension was agreed upon during a scheduled NWC meeting held on June 24. According to the party, the meeting was planned with proper security measures in place, after the leadership received intelligence about a possible disturbance. INEC was also invited to witness the meeting.
Those suspended along with Gabam include Mr. Clarkson Nnadi, the National Auditor, and Mr. Ogbonna Uchechukwu, the National Youth Leader. The SDP accused the trio of making unauthorised withdrawals from the party’s bank accounts and moving large sums of money without any official approval or proper documentation. The party claimed that these financial activities involved hundreds of millions of Naira and were carried out in violation of the SDP’s constitution.
In the official letter, SDP’s National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye, stated: “The NWC considered the submissions and resolutions before it and subsequently approved the suspension in accordance with the powers vested in the NWC by the 2012 Constitution of the party as amended.”
The party noted that the suspension was a necessary move to protect its interests and uphold its constitution. The affected individuals are to remain suspended from all party-related functions while internal investigations and disciplinary actions continue.
Speaking in a recent interview on Arise Television, SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, said the decision was part of an effort to restore the party’s founding values of truth and transparency.
“We got credible information about unauthorised transactions, including party funds being paid into private accounts. The findings were mind-boggling as hundreds of millions were transferred without NWC’s approval. This is not a personal attack; it’s about sanitising the system,” he said.
Aiyenigba further noted that 11 of the 15 NWC members were present at the meeting before it was violently interrupted. According to him, the suspended members later appeared at the venue with unknown individuals who broke the party’s gate and caused serious disruption. He added that journalists were attacked and equipment destroyed, but stressed that the resolution to suspend the officials had already been finalised before the disturbance occurred.
