The National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of The National Secretariat of Social Democratic Party (SDP), yesterday, erupted into violence as both supporters of the national chairman Shehu Gabam and those loyal to the 2023 presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, clashed and in the process pulled the gate of the national headquarters building in Abuja.
The fight, which started at 11: 20am at the secretariat on16, Nairobi Street, snowballed into a serious commotion during the National Working Committee meeting of the party, as many who were beaten sustained various degrees of injuries.
The security personnel stationed at the premises and thugs allegedly invited by the NWC leadership were able to overcome those allegedly loyal to Adebayo’s camp and the National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba.
Journalists were not left out in the fracas as some were maltreated. While the Arise TV crew had its camera seized, but later returned for filming the conflict, The Punch reporter, Francis Adebayo, was manhandled and his clothes torn for refusing to give them the phone he used to record the incident.
However, at the time of this report, National Chairman, Gabam, had taken charge of the office, after inviting policemen to maintain peace and security at the premises. The police from Wuse Division and those from the FCT Command arrived at the premises to take charge of the security of the area in order to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
Speaking on the likely cause of the crisis, one of the private security personnel (name withheld) at the entrance gate, said trouble started when security personnel who man the gate of the building were locked outside to prevent members loyal to the national chairman from entering the venue of the meeting.
According to him, the scuffle that ensued led to the pulling down of the Iron Gate in the process. Meanwhile, a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Aiyenigba, stated that the National Chairman, Gabam, along with two others, have been suspended from the party. The statement read: “The National Chairman and two NWC members have been suspended over allegations of gross financial misconduct.
“In exercise of its exclusive powers as guaranteed in article 19.1; 19.3(i) and 19.5 of the party constitution (2022 as Amended), the National Working Committee of the Social Democratic Party has approved the immediate suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gbam, along with two members of the National Working Committee, namely, Nze Nnadi Clarkson, National Auditor and Uchechukwu Chukwuma, National Youth Leader, ‘over grave allegations of gross financial misconduct, embezzlement, misappropriation, and diversion of party funds.’
