Alleged N1bn fraud: SDP inaugurates 5-man panel to probe suspended Chairman, Gabam, 2 others

.…Issues panel two weeks to report back to NWC

By Chris Ochayi

Social Democratic Party, SDP, has inaugurated a five-man Committee to investigate alleged misappropriation, embezzlement and malfeasance been leveled against the suspended National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam and two other members of the National Working Committee, NWC.

Recall the party had a forth night ago suspended the National Chairman and two other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, over alleged cross financial infraction in the party.

The National Secretary, of the party, Dr Olu Agunloye, while inaugurating the five man committee led by Liman Abubakar, alleged that N1 billion was misappropriated by the party Chairman and therefore charged the committee to be fair and transparent in unraveling the truth.

The investigative committee which was handled two weeks to report to the National Working Committee is to invite the suspended chairman, national auditor and the youth leader.

According to him, “In the first week of June 2025, there was a surprising discovery of the financial reports submitted by the National Chairman of Social Democratic Party, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“There were several abnormalities associated with this action of the National Chairman.

The National Working Committee NWC thereafter decided through a signed Resolution to look further into the abnormalities and report criminal infractions associated with these discoveries to the law enforcement agencies.”

Further inspection into the malfeasance according to him led to the discoveries of: Management Control Report” by Messrs T. O. Thomas and Company, the External Auditor seconded to the Social Democratic Party by the Chairman of INEC.

“Financial Statement of SDP” by the same Messrs T.O. Thomas and Co.
Bank statements from First Bank of Nigeria and Zenith Bank PLC.

The discoveries and evidence established a prima facie case for criminal conspiracy, fraud and theft against three members of Social Democratic Party listed below:
Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, National Chairman, hereinafter referred to as Officer-1
Mr. Clarkson, National Auditor, hereinafter referred to as Officer-2
Mr. Ogbonna Uchechukwu, National Youth Leader, hereinafter referred to as Officer-3
Observations that led to establishing a prima facie case are:
Multiple breaches of the SDP 2022 Constitution as amended, especially Articles 13, 17 and 19.

“There were no presentations or submissions of any incomes or expenditures to NWC from 2022 to 2025 and only 3 members out of 12 NWC members were aware of any details of the accounts of SDP. Only Officer-1, Officer-2 and Officer-3 were aware of the incomes and expenditures of the Social Democratic Party.

“There were no due processes or internal audit procedures followed in disbursing hundreds of millions of Naira of SDP funds.

“There were no approvals whatsoever sought from or given by the NWC as required by the Party’s Constitution.

“There were hundreds of multiple withdrawals by Officer-3 who used multiple variations of his names to transfer several hundreds of millions of Naira of SDP funds into multiple bank accounts operated by him”

The party’s scribe stressed further that “It is noted that Officer-3 is neither the Cashier of SDP, nor a contractor of SDP nor affiliated, in any form, to the Directorates of Treasury or Finance or Administration of the Social Democratic Party.

“Officer-1 singlehandedly determined what to purchase and approve for wiihdrawal from SDP accounts and directed the withdrawals without any approvals or authorisation or due process.

“Officer-2 enabled all the illegal and unauthorised payments by compromising all the internal audit routines and control procedures specified by the Constitution of the Party.

“Officer-1 prepared Financial Reports of SDP unknown to the National Working Committee (NWC) and forwarded the same to the INEC Chairman without the knowledge of the NWC, including the National Secretary, who was expected to co-sign such a forwarding letter.

“Officer-1, Officer-2 and Officer-3 acted in tandem, presided over by Officer-1, to carry out gross misappropriation and diversions of SDP funds estimated at over N1.0 billion.

“Thereafter, NWC formally reported to the Law Enforcement Agencies and determined through Resolutions signed by 11 out of 15 NWC members to carry out internal disciplinary actions and to suspend Officer-1,

“Officer-2 and Officer-3 to pave way for unfettered internal investigation into the breaches of the Constitution of the party and the criminal investigations by the Law Enforcement Agencies into any breaches of the penal codes of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Accordingly, appropriate letters of suspension of the three Officers were served on them and due notifications were made to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC; Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC; Nigeria Police Force, NPF; Department of State Services, DSS; and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
And in compliance with the directives of the National Working Committee, the Disciplinary Committee, with the composition stated below, is hereby inaugurated to investigate in depth and report back to NWC within 14 days. The composition of the Committee is listed below:
Mr. Liman S Abubakar, National Chieftain of SDP – Chairman
Pharm. Wafari Theman, National Vice Chairman (North East) – Member
Dr. Kingsley Obinna Agbo, Ebonyi State Chairman – Member
Hajiya Laila Mohammed, National Chieftain of SDP – Member
Barrister Williams Adelewa, Zonal Chieftain of SDP – Secretary

“The terms of reference of the Committee are highlighted below:
“Fact finding the truth regarding the allegations of breaches of the SDP Constitution
Examine the state of the accounts of the SDP.

“Determine the circumstances surrounding the production and submission of audited accounts submitted to INEC in the name of the SDP

“Recommend appropriate remedies
Generally, advise on better ways to manage the finances of the SDP to prevent abuse and breach of the SDP Constitution”