INEC Urged To Respect Party Autonomy

Acting National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, has Urged  Independent National Electoral Commission to respect party autonomy.

This followed  the Supreme Court judgement fining the INEC ₦2 million,  reinforcing the autonomy of political parties and issuing a sharp rebuke to the electoral umpire over interference in internal party affairs.

Abubakar Gombe in a  press  briefing described the ruling as a historic day for the SDP, all political parties in Nigeria and democracy, saying it demonstrated that the judiciary remained the last hope of common man and institutions seeking justice, equity and fairness.

“We understood INEC’s anxiety and passion, but justice must always prevail,” Abubakar Gombe said, urging the commission to respect the party’s autonomy and accept the Supreme Court’s decision.

He called on INEC to stop meddling in the internal affairs of political parties, accept the decisions of the SDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) and remove the name of suspended national chairman, Alh. Shehu Musa Gabam from its records.

Gombe  also urged INEC to recognise him as the duly appointed acting national chairman and to stop dealing with suspended or expelled members of the party.

Also, the lead counsel to SDP and its 2023 presidential candidate, Dr Adewole Adebayo, said the ruling was a clear warning to INEC to desist from actions that undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

“I have made it clear to INEC to stop interfering in the internal affairs of the SDP and other political parties,” Adebayo said after the judgment, “A multi-party democracy requires an umpire that is unbiased and not one that foments crises within opposition parties.”

Adebayo maintained that the SDP had no leadership crisis, noting that the party’s national officers, including the national chairman, Sadiq Umar Abubakar, the national secretary Dr. Olu  Agunloye and members of the National Working Committee (NWC), are validly in office.