By PATIENCE OMOHA

An FCT Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2 on Monday adjourned until June 17 the alleged N626 million fraud case involving a former National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Gabam.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Gabam is currently standing trial before Chief Magistrate Amauche Onyedum for the alleged offences.

He was arraigned on May 12 over alleged misappropriation of the party’s funds during his tenure as SDP national chairman between 2022 and 2023.

‎At Monday’s proceedings, the Chief Magistrate admitted in evidence the documents submitted by the prosecution against the defendants, noting that they satisfied the provisions of the Evidence Act.

Onyedum also gave a bench ruling affirming the relevance of the documents, and dismissed the objection by the counsel to the defendants, Mukaila Yahaya, who earlier objected to the documents’ admissability.

‎Addressing journalists after the court’s proceedings on Monday, SDP National Chairman, Prof. Abubakar Gombe, explained that the party had presented bank statements and other financial documents before the court as evidence against Gabam.

According to him, the documents tendered included reports of the party’s disciplinary committee, letters of invitation allegedly ignored by the defendants, and records relating to companies allegedly linked to movement of party funds.

He said the prosecution also presented documents connected to transactions involving party accounts, which he said would form part of the evidence in the case.

Gombe expressed confidence in the judicial process, saying the party believed justice would prevail.

He added that the defendant was granted bail in the sum of N3 million with conditions including the submission of his international passport and two sureties with landed property in Abuja.

The SDP chairman also defended the party’s decision to suspend and expel Gabam, insisting that due process was followed in addressing allegations of financial misconduct and constitutional breaches within the party.

According to him, the crisis began on June 24, 2025, following allegations of financial impropriety and other infractions involving Gabam and some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

He said the party subsequently constituted an investigative panel chaired by retired Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Liman to examine the allegations.

Gombe said the panel sat for 14 working days, adding that while some suspended officials appeared before the disciplinary committee, Gabam and another official allegedly failed to honour invitations extended to them.

He further said that efforts by some prominent Nigerians to broker peace within the party later collapsed.

The SDP chairman also alleged that Gabam and some supporters forcefully entered the party secretariat on May 7, during which offices were vandalised and sensitive documents removed.

According to him, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) ratified his appointment as national chairman and approved the suspension and expulsion of Gabam and another official during its March 2026 meeting.

Gombe maintained that the matter before the court was strictly related to alleged criminal acts involving party funds and constitutional breaches, and not leadership disputes within the party.

He also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of refusing to monitor the party’s convention in spite of being duly notified in line with provisions of the Electoral Act.

Gombe, however, said the party remained open to reconciliation and peaceful resolution of the crisis through dialogue and mutual understanding.

The matter was adjourned until June 17 for continuation of hearing. (NAN)

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