The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has initiated legal proceedings against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for alleged unlawful rejection of its candidates for this month’s by-elections in 12 states.
In a statement released on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, said the SDP had filed a lawsuit challenging INEC’s refusal to recognize candidates duly nominated through primary elections conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
“We trust the judiciary to do justice by compelling the Commission to accept our candidates, who were validly nominated,” Aiyenigba said, asserting that INEC had acted ultra vires.
The SDP further contended that the Commission’s decision, reportedly based on perceived internal disputes within the party, also affected the Labour Party’s candidates. However, the SDP maintained that such action violates a Supreme Court ruling which upholds the autonomy of political parties in determining their candidates.
“The Commission has no constitutional authority to interfere in the internal processes of parties or decide who their candidates should be,” Aiyenigba stated.
The legal action comes in the wake of a widening leadership crisis within the party. On July 25, a faction of the party held an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, at which 23 state chairmen, including that of the Federal Capital Territory, dissolved the rival factions led by Alhaji Shehu Gabam and Dr. Sadiq Abubakar. The meeting ushered in a new National Working Committee (NWC) under the acting chairmanship of Adamu Modibo.
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In his inaugural remarks, Modibo acknowledged the challenges plaguing the party and announced plans to establish a disciplinary and reconciliation committee to heal internal divisions. “We are drawing a line. It is time to unify the party and address all forms of misconduct,” he said.
However, Dr. Sadiq Abubakar’s faction immediately rejected the development, labelling the NEC meeting unconstitutional. National Secretary Dr. Olu Agunloye, aligned with the Abubakar camp, described the gathering as “illegal and irregular,” cautioning state chairmen against participating in what he termed a violation of the party’s constitution.
Agunloye further claimed that several state chairmen had submitted sworn affidavits to INEC distancing themselves from the meeting and alleging forgery of their signatures in the proceedings.
The leadership crisis has also triggered a wave of suspensions and expulsions. On June 24, the Gabam-led NWC suspended former National Chairman Shehu Gabam over allegations of financial impropriety, including misappropriation of party funds and unauthorized transactions. Two other senior members, National Auditor Nze Nnadi Clarkson and National Youth Leader Uchechukwu Chukwuma, were also suspended for similar infractions.
Further intensifying the crisis, the party last week announced the expulsion of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, for a period of 30 years. El-Rufai was accused of falsely claiming SDP membership and promoting the interests of another political party in Kaduna State.
According to Aiyenigba, El-Rufai failed to formally register at the ward level despite publicly declaring his allegiance to the SDP and associating with suspended party leaders. “His actions are in clear violation of the SDP Constitution and the Electoral Act, which grants parties the sole authority to determine their membership,” the party spokesperson stated.
Despite its internal challenges and ongoing legal confrontation with INEC, the SDP maintains that it remains committed to defending its candidates’ rights in court and pursuing internal reforms to restore stability and cohesion within its ranks.
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