Abuja: The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Shehu Gabam, has described his purported suspension as “fake news” and a product of political mischief.
Speaking to journalists at the party national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, Gabam said he remained the party chairman.
Rufus Ayegbeni, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, earlier announced the suspension of Alhaji Gabam and two other NEC members over allegations of financial mismanagement.
Gabam, flanked by some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), urged the public to disregard the purported suspension.
“I remain the national chairman of the SDP, as you can see.”
He said that the decision regarding his suspension was not taken at an official meeting of the NWC, and he wondered where the statement on the claimed suspension originated.
He recalled that a private legal firm had approached the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) earlier, notifying it of a meeting of the NWC, signed by the National Secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye.
He said that the letter was rejected by the commission because he, as the party’s national chairman, did not co-sign it.
“They used a legal firm to communicate with the INEC, which is a complete violation of the process of the political party in terms of communication with the 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. According to our constitution, the national chairman is the party’s national leader and the party’s Chief Executive.
“INEC tagged the request by the party’s national secretary to hold the NWC meeting as illegal since I did not sign the letter,” he said.
Gabam described the alleged financial misappropriation against him as false, saying he has nothing to hide.
He said his accusers should remember that they raised memos and that all their names were in the party’s account statement.
“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 that everyone’s 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 tenure when he was party chairman. I’m ready to account for my tenure any minute, any time,” he added.
He accused the new coalition being formed by some individuals in collaboration with some party national officials of being behind the recent crisis in the party and of their inability to hijack the party.
“We had this crisis before. It is now rearing its head.
“Some of us understand where it is coming from because this coalition and some people in the coalition believe that at all costs, they either get SDP or create confusion around SDP.
“So many forces from many fronts see SDP as deadly or very strong that they cannot manoeuvre 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 those who are anti-democratic forces, who are conniving to disrupt political institutions, for whatever motivation. But I want to assure you we are on,” he said.
Gabam, however, urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Nation’s security agencies to order so that politicians would not use them remotely to truncate democracy.
“They are not doing a disservice to me. They are not doing a disservice to this party. It’s a disservice to the country,” he said.
In his statement, Aiyenigba said that the decision to suspend Gabam and other implicated NWC members was to allow for a thorough investigation.
He added that in the interim, the Deputy National Chairman, Dr Sadiq Umar Abubakar, has been directed to assume party leadership pending the outcome of the investigation.
