The National Working Committee (NWC), of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Tuesday announced the suspension of its National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, signaling commencement of crisis in the party.
The suspension was contained in a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba in Abuja.
Aiyenigba stated that Gabam, the National Auditor, Nze Nnadi Clarkson and the National Youth Leader, Uchechukwu Chukwuma, were suspended over allegations of gross financial misconduct, including funds generated from 2023 general elections.
Aiyenigba said that the suspension, which took effect immediately, was approved by the NWC in exercise of its exclusive powers as guaranteed in Article 19.1; 19.3(i) and 19.5 of the party’s Constitution (2022 as Amended).
He claimed that the decision followed a resolution of a meeting of the NWC, where overwhelming evidences were presented linking the suspended officials to series of alleged unauthorised financial transactions.
He further said that the suspension was to demonstrate to the public that the SDP is a disciplined party and a credible alternative political platform for national redemption.
He added that the party has zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.
“The decision to suspend the National Chairman and other implicated NWC members is to allow for a thorough, investigation. Our integrity as a political party must be upheld at all times,” Aiyenigba said.
He said that an interim investigative panel had been constituted to audit all financial records and recommend further disciplinary or legal actions.
“In the interim, the Deputy National Chairman, Dr Sadiq Abubakar has been directed to assume leadership of the party, pending the outcome of the investigations.
“The suspension has been communicated to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), and all relevant anti-graft agencies and security agencies,” he said.
Gabam responding to his suspension, described it as fake, saying that he remains SDP national chairman.
He described the incident as one of the attempts by people trying to destabilise the SDP..
It was gathered that hoodlums suspected to be thugs later Tuesday evening stormed the party’s national headquarters, located at 16 Nairobi street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
The thugs according to an eye witness, dressed in black attires, unleashed violence on party staff members, including journalists invited for the NWC meeting.
The thugs beat some people mercilessly and denied people access to the gate leading to the secretariat.
But minutes later, another group of hefty looking thugs came and forced the secretariat’s gate open, leading to free-for-all fight amongst them.
Some people were manhandled by the thugs in the process. Some of the unlucky persons attacked included reporters from Arise TV and the correspondent of Punch newspaper.
It, however, took the intervention of some security operatives from Wuse Police Division and FCT command and personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to restore normalcy at premises.
It was learned that trouble started when security personnel at the gate locked out members loyal to the national chairman from entering the meeting venue.
The group while struggling to enter the meeting, pulled down the iron gate of the secretariat which resulted to escalation of the crisis.
My purported suspension as SDP National Chairman is a product of “political mischief” – Gabam
Meanwhile, the Alhaji Gabam has described his purported suspension as “fake news” and a product of political mischief.
Speaking to newsmen at the party national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, Gabam said he remained the party chairman.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Rufus Ayegbeni had earlier in a statement announced the suspension of Alhaji Gabam and two other NEC members over allegations of financial mismanagement.
Gabam, who spoke flanked by some members of the party National Working Committee (NWC) urged members of the public to disregard the purported suspension.
“I remain the national chairman of the SDP as you can see.”
He said that there was no official meeting of the NWC where the decision regarding his suspension was taken, wondering where the statement on the claimed suspension emanated from.
He recalled that a private legal firms had earlier approached the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notifying it of a meeting of the NWC, signed by the National Secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye
He said that the letter was rejected by the commission, since it was not co-signed by him as the party national chairman.
“They used a legal firm, to communicate to the INEC. Which is a complete violation of the process of political party in terms of communication with INEC.
“If you look at the INEC letters, it specifies that any decision has to be jointly signed by the national chairman and national secretary.
“My signature is an authority signature. By our constitution, the national chairman is the national leader of the party and Chief executive of the party.
“INEC tagged the request by the party’s national secretary to hold the NWC meeting as illegal, since the letter was not signed by me,” he said.
On the alleged financial misappropriation against him, Gabam described it as false, saying he has nothing to hid.
He said that his accusers should remember they were the one raising memos and that all their names were in the party’s account statement.
“I’m sure by the time we submit the complete printout of our account from the banks to the security agencies, they will see everything.
“They will see everyone that money has gone into his account. Everyone. All the NWC members. It has not excluded anybody.
“He was once the chairman of the party. He should have also accounted for his own tenure when he was chairman of the party. I’m ready to account for my tenure any minute, any time,” he added.
He accused the new coalition being formed by some individuals in collaboration with some party national officials of being behind the recent crisis in the party, for their inability to hijack the party.
“I think we had this crisis before. It is now rearing its head.
“Some of us understand where it is coming from, because this coalition and some of the people in the coalition who believe that at all costs, they either get SDP or create confusion around SDP.
“So many forces from so many fronts see SDP as very deadly or very strong that they cannot maneuver over.
“We have been waiting for them to expose all their game plan, before we respond to it. Happily enough, they have officially exposed themselves today.
“I am sure Nigerians will get to know them, who are anti-democratic forces, who are conniving to disrupt political institutions, for whatever motivation. But I want to assure you that we are on,” he said.
Gabam, however, urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Nation’s security agencies to order so that politicians will not use them remotely to truncate democracy.
“They are not doing disservice to me. They are not doing disservice to this party. It’s a disservice to the country,” he said.
Aiyenigba in his statement had said that the decision to suspend Gabam and other implicated NWC members was to allow for a thorough, investigation.
He added that in the interim, the Deputy National Chairman, Dr Sadiq Umar Abubakar has been directed to assume leadership of the party pending the outcome of the investigations.
