Alhaji Shehu Gabam, the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has claimed that the ongoing crisis within the party is being masterminded by an opposition coalition seeking to take control of the party’s structure.
Gabam made the statement in response to his alleged suspension by a faction of the party on Tuesday.
In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Rufus Ayegbeni, announced the suspension of Gabam along with two other NEC members over accusations of financial mismanagement.
However, Gabam dismissed the suspension as “fake news” and a result of political mischief during his address to journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
He maintained that he is still the legitimate chairman of the party.
Speaking alongside several members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), Gabam urged the public to ignore the alleged suspension.
“I remain the national chairman of the SDP as you can see.
“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.
He stated that no official meeting of the NWC was held to decide on his suspension and questioned the origin of the statement announcing the alleged suspension.
He recalled that a private law firm had previously contacted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), informing it of an NWC meeting through a notice signed by the National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye.
He stated that the commission rejected the letter because it was not co-signed by him as the party’s 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 hide.
He pointed out that his accusers were the ones issuing memos and emphasized that their names appear in the party’s account statements.
“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 newly formed coalition, involving certain individuals and some national party officials, of being behind the recent crisis in the party due to their failed attempt to hijack its structure.
“I think we had this crisis before. It is now rearing its head.
Gabam, however, called on President Bola Tinubu to call in the country’s security agencies, warning against their potential use by politicians to undermine 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, for the time being, the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, has been instructed to take over the leadership of the party until the investigations are concluded.