Proceedings in the criminal trial of former National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Musa Gabam, were halted on Monday after the trial court failed to sit, forcing an adjournment to August 17, 2026, and delaying the presentation of banking records the prosecution considers critical to its case.
The adjournment came at a stage when officials of Zenith Bank, subpoenaed by the court, were expected to tender statements of the SDP’s bank accounts in the trial involving allegations of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of party funds and other financial offences against Gabam and his co-defendants.
Reacting to the development, SDP National Chairman, Professor Abubakar Sadiq Gombe, said all parties had assembled for the hearing before the court announced it would not sit.
According to him, the prosecution team, defence counsel and the subpoenaed bank officials were present and prepared to proceed with the day’s hearing.
“We were fully prepared for the hearing. Our legal team was present, and the subpoenaed bank officials came with the statement of account. Unfortunately, the court could not sit, so the matter has now been fixed for August 17,” Gombe said.
He described the bank statements as a pivotal part of the prosecution’s documentary evidence, alleging that they contain records of transactions involving SDP funds that would support the charges before the court.
Gombe further claimed that the records showed repeated payments to an individual who neither occupied the office of treasurer nor had responsibility for managing the party’s finances.
He said the alleged financial transactions prompted the party to embark on internal reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in its financial management.
On the protracted leadership dispute within the SDP, Gombe insisted that Gabam’s expulsion remains valid, maintaining that it was duly approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in accordance with the SDP Constitution and the Electoral Act.
He argued that leadership issues are internal affairs of political parties, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) only monitored the proceedings that led to Gabam’s removal and subsequently certified compliance with the relevant legal provisions.
The SDP chairman also contended that court decisions cited by the former party leader did not relate to the party’s national leadership, expressing confidence that the criminal proceedings would ultimately be decided on the basis of the evidence before the court.