Court remands ex-SDP Chairman Gabam over alleged fund misappropriation

An FCT Chief Magistrates Court at Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Tuesday, remanded a former National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Shehu Gabam, over alleged criminal misappropriation of funds, breach of trust and forgery involving the party funds.

Gabam, alongside Chukwuma Uchechukwu, were arraigned on six-count charges bordering on financial misappropriation during his at SDP amounting to over N35 million, forgery, and breach of trust.

The direct criminal complaint was instituted by the current SDP leadership, led by the National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe, under relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

Gabam was docked before Chief Magistrate Amauche Onyedium alongside Chukwuma Ogbonna Uchechukwu in suit No. DCC/10/2026.

He, however, pleaded not guilty during the hearing.

When the matter came up, counsel for the complainant informed the court that the prosecution needed time to respond to the bail application filed by the defendants.

The court subsequently admitted Gabam to bail in the sum of N3 million with two sureties who must possess landed property in Abuja.

The court also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the court registrar pending the determination of the case.

Chief Magistrate Onyedium thereafter adjourned the matter until May 25 for further hearing.

Speaking with newsmen after the proceedings, Prof. Gombe said the party was compelled to approach the court after petitions submitted to relevant agencies allegedly failed to attract action.

According to him, the party had earlier submitted bank statements and financial records to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging the commission to investigate the alleged financial infractions.

He said an audit report prepared under the former leadership indicated that the party generated only N32m during the period under review, out of which nearly N31m was allegedly misappropriated.

The SDP leader, however, alleged that party officials later uncovered documents linked to two bank accounts allegedly showing transactions amounting to about N740m.

He said the discovery raised concerns within the party over transparency and accountability in the management of party funds.

Prof. Gombe also alleged that petitions were submitted to the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Department of State Services (DSS).

He lamented that no concrete action was taken by the agencies, leading the party to initiated direct criminal proceedings before the court.

He also recalled that the SDP on June 24, 2025, suspended Gabam, National Youth Leader Ogbonna Uchechukwu and National Auditor Clarkson Nnadi over alleged misconduct and financial impropriety.

An independent disciplinary committee was subsequently constituted to investigate the allegations and later submitted its report to the party leadership.

The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) later adopted the committee’s white paper and announced the expulsion of Gabam and Uchechukwu over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office.

Some SDP state chairmen had also backed the expulsions and accused the former leadership of allegedly diverting close to N1 billion belonging to the party.

The measures were further ratified at the National Convention of the party held on Saturday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi State.

The convention which elected Prof. Gombe as SDP National Chairman alongside other National Working Committee (NWC) members, also saw the emergence of Prince Adewole Adeayo as the Presidential candidate of the party, thus becoming the first to formally emerge as the presidential flagbearer for the 2027 general elections.

Tensions within the party have continued to rise, with the Gombe-led leadership condemning the recent disruptions at its national secretariat attributed to suspected loyalists of the embattled former chairman.

Thugs suspected to be loyal to Gabam had put down the gate of the SDP’s national secretariat and attempted to take over the party’s national secretariat before a combine security detachment led by Police dispersed the warring faction and sealed the complex.