SDP Presidential Candidate Hails Supreme Court Verdict, Declares Ruling Ends Crisis

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has declared that there was “no life” in the legal challenge by Shehu Gabam to the leadership of the party, following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of his appeal.

Adebayo said the decision of the apex court had brought what he described as the prolonged leadership dispute in the opposition party to an end, clearing the way for the leadership of Prof. Abubakar Sadiq Gombe to continue steering the affairs of the SDP.

The Supreme Court, according to the party yesterday, had dismissed Gabam’s appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal which had set aside a Federal High Court decision recognising him as National Chairman of the party.

The five-member panel, comprising Justices Adamu Jauro, Haruna Tsammani, A.A. Adumein, Jonah Adah and Joseph Oyewole, delivered the judgment on Wednesday.

In the lead judgment, Justice Jauro had held that the appeal had become irrelevant and consequently dismissed it.

Reacting to the judgment, Adebayo said the Supreme Court’s decision had effectively closed the chapter on the leadership controversy.

“Supreme Court said there is no life in the case and dismissed the case. That is the end of Shehu Gabam. There is nothing about the SDP leadership crisis coming up again,” he said.

Adebayo said the justices had asked the plaintiffs to withdraw the appeal and apologise, although the specific details of that aspect of the proceedings were not contained in the judgment cited in the statement.

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