The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) under its acting leader, Sadiq Gombe, following a verification exercise conducted at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Gombe made the disclosure while addressing journalists after the exercise, noting that the process involved direct engagement between INEC officials and members of the party’s leadership structure.
According to him, the verification exercise included members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), comprising state chairmen and other officials who worked in collaboration with INEC representatives.
“It was an eleven-member team of the INEC team that came for the verification exercise at SDP headquarters today (Tuesday). As you are aware, part of the requirements for the registration of a political party is that it must have a presence in at least⅔ of the states of the Federation.
“INEC came to verify the membership of the NEC to see them physically and engage with them as well as the members of the National Working Committee,” he stated.
He explained that the exercise was part of the commission’s standard procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly in relation to party structure and nationwide representation.
Gombe further noted that judicial precedents, including rulings by the Supreme Court, have consistently upheld the principle that internal party disputes are matters to be resolved within the parties themselves.
