The criminal trial of former National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Shehu Musa Gabam, suffered a setback on Monday after the court adjourned proceedings to August 17, 2026, following its inability to sit, delaying the prosecution’s planned presentation of what it described as crucial banking records.

The prosecution was expected to tender statements of the party’s bank accounts through officials of Zenith Bank, who had been subpoenaed to appear before the court in the case involving allegations of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of party funds and other financial offences against Gabam and his co-defendants.

Speaking after the adjournment, SDP National Chairman, Professor Abubakar Sadiq Gombe, said all parties, including the prosecution team, defence counsel and the subpoenaed bank officials, were present and ready to proceed before the sitting was called off.

“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 records as central to the prosecution’s case, alleging that they contain details of financial transactions involving party funds that would be presented as evidence during the trial.

According to Gombe, the records indicate that several payments were made to an individual who neither served as the party’s treasurer nor occupied any office responsible for managing its finances.

He said the alleged financial irregularities prompted the SDP to introduce internal reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of party funds.

On the party’s lingering leadership dispute, Gombe maintained that Gabam’s expulsion remains valid, insisting it was approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in accordance with the SDP Constitution and the Electoral Act.

He argued that leadership issues within the party are internal affairs, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) merely monitored the process that led to Gabam’s removal and certified compliance with statutory requirements.

Gombe also accused the former SDP chairman of relying on court rulings that, according to him, did not address the party’s national leadership, expressing confidence that the criminal trial would ultimately be decided on the strength of the documentary evidence before the court.