INec Must Apologize To Shehu Musa Gabam And Immediately Remove Prof. Saddique Gombe From Its Portal

By: Adeyemi Adewole 

The Independent National Electoral Commission was created to be the impartial umpire of our democracy, not a participant in intra-party disputes. Its duty under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 is clear: receive, publish, and defend nominations validly made by political parties. When INEC deviates from this, it invites chaos. The recent treatment of Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, is a textbook example of why INEC must retrace its steps and apologize to the Nigerian people and to Gabam himself. For an institution that prides itself on neutrality, the initial removal of his name amounted to yielding to pressure instead of upholding the law.

On Wednesday, 24th June 2026, the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, presided over by Hon. Justice M.G. Umar in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026, delivered judgment in the matter between the SDP, Gabam, and INEC. The court granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from removing the name of the Plaintiff from the list of Candidates for the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election. It also affirmed the leadership of the 3rd and 4th Defendants as National Chairman and Acting National Secretary* of the SDP respectively. That decision is binding on all parties, including INEC, and it settles the question of who the law recognizes as the authentic leadership of the party.

Sections 29(1) & (3) and 84(5)(b)(i) of the Electoral Act, 2022 place a clear obligation on INEC. Once a political party submits the names of its officers and candidates in line with its constitution, INEC’s role is administrative. It is to acknowledge receipt and publish. It is not to investigate, interrogate, or choose sides. By initially removing Gabam’s name, INEC acted beyond its statutory powers and in direct conflict with the letter of the law. The commission cannot claim ignorance because the provisions are unambiguous and have been applied in several cases before now.

The Supreme Court settled this issue in JEGEDE v. INEC (2021) 14 NWLR (Pt.1797) 409. The court held that INEC cannot substitute its own preference for the decision of a political party on who its candidate or leader is, once due process has been followed. To do otherwise is to interfere in the internal affairs of a party. INEC’s earlier action against Gabam ignored this precedent. It preferred petitions and propaganda over a judgment that should have guided its conduct. That error must now be corrected publicly.

What happened was an attempted “democratic coup.” The facts before the court showed that certain elements within and outside the SDP sought to use INEC as an instrument to effect a change of leadership without recourse to the party constitution. This is the use of state institutions to overturn legitimate party structures. INEC, by falling for these antics, became an unwilling accomplice. The apology it owes Gabam is therefore also an apology to democracy itself, because the integrity of our party system was put at risk.

When INEC removes a validly recognized chairman, it does more than embarrass an individual. It confuses party members, destabilizes election planning, and emboldens impunity. Candidates, donors, and the electorate begin to doubt whether the process will be fair. In the case of SDP, the party’s preparations for the 2026 Osun Governorship were thrown into uncertainty until the court intervened. That damage must be acknowledged, and the only honorable way to do so is through a public apology and immediate corrective action.

An apology from INEC is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength and accountability. Public institutions build trust by admitting errors and correcting them openly. INEC owes Gabam an apology because it acted on extraneous considerations instead of law and court records. It owes the SDP an apology for the disruption. And it owes Nigerians an apology for creating the impression that it can be lobbied to recognize parallel leaderships. Silence at this point will only deepen the crisis of confidence.

Beyond words, INEC must act. As of today, the name of Professor Saddique Gombe continues to appear on the INEC portal as a recognized officer of the SDP despite the court judgment. That listing is now illegal. It contradicts the order of Justice M.G. Umar and perpetuates the same illegality the court sought to stop. Keeping it there is contempt, and it gives oxygen to those plotting further disruption within the party. The portal is a public record and must reflect the true position of the law.

Therefore, I call on the Chairman of INEC and the ICT Department to immediately remove Professor Saddique Gombe from the INEC portal as an officer of the SDP. The portal must reflect Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam as National Chairman and Uchechukwu Chukwuma as Acting National Secretary, in line with the court judgment. Any delay will be interpreted as willful disobedience and an invitation for further litigation. The time to act is now, before the error causes more damage.

Political parties are the foundation of representative democracy. The SDP constitution vested the authority to elect and remove officers in its organs. The Gabam-led NWC emerged from that process. INEC’s job is to respect that autonomy, not to midwife factions. By restoring the correct names and apologizing, INEC will send a strong signal that it will no longer be used to settle party scores. That is the standard Nigerians expect from an electoral umpire.

As we approach more elections, INEC must learn from this episode. It must train its staff to prioritize court judgments and the Electoral Act over media pressure and petitions from aggrieved factions. The commission must also put in place a compliance desk that ensures that once a judgment is served, the portal and all records are updated within 24 hours. That is how to prevent a repeat of the Gabam saga and how to protect the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

Democracy thrives when institutions obey the law. INEC still has the opportunity to restore its integrity by doing two things immediately: tender an unreserved apology to Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam* and *remove Professor Saddique Gombe from its portal without further delay. The law is clear. The party constitution is clear. The court is clear. Nigerians are watching. INEC must now act in a manner that reinforces, not undermines, public confidence in our electoral process.

Adeyemi, Writes From Osun via adeyimi345@gmail.com