Confusion in SDP as party elements battle over Peter Obi’s endorsement

By Nurat Uthman

There is confusion in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the party is going for the general elections with two Presidential candidates.

On Wednesday, the Party’s National Chairman, Chief Supo Shonibare and National Secretary, Hon. Saleh Dass at the end of the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held in Abuja, announced the endorsement of Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi as SDP candidate on Saturday.

In a swift response, the National Secretary of the party, Dr Olu Agunloye insisted that the party’s presidential candidate, Prince Adebayo, remains its presidential candidate in the forthcoming election.

According to the communiqué ensuring Obi, the NWC “deliberated on the report of the Senator Ebenezer Ikeyina Committee, investigating the allegation that some of our Leaders from Oyo State, issued a statement declaring support for a candidate other than the Labour Party’s Mr. Peter Obi.

“The NWC has accepted and adopted the disciplinary action recommended by the Ikeyina Committee and suspended the Leaders involved. Should they object to this decision, they have the right to appeal to the NWC, through the National Secretary of the Party.

“With the Presidential elections only a couple of days away, the NWC again considered its position on which candidate best demonstrates an ability to engender a stable polity, as well as provide prudent economic management of our nation’s resources.

Meanwhile, the party’s National Secretary on Thursday said that the party was not in alliance with any political party in the forthcoming Presidential election, directing all its members and supporters to vote for the party’s candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

The National Secretary of the party, Dr Olu Agunloye, who stated this in a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen in Akure, Ondo state capital, denied political alliance with any other political party or any of the candidates contesting in the election.

He said Adebayo had been engaging Nigerians and all critical stakeholders, including the youth on his ambition to win and develop Nigeria and will not step down or enter an alliance with any political party or candidate in the election.

Agunloye said in the statement that “the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam has directed all members of the Party to vote for Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Presidential Candidate of the Party in the presidential election coming up on the Saturday, 25 February 2023 and to vote SDP in all the elections.

“This is following the reaffirmation of the SDP National Working Committee (NWC) that the Party, (SDP) is not in any alliance with any political party and the NWC has, therefore, formally directed all its members and supporters throughout the country, and all Nigerians in general, to reach out

for their PVCs and vote for Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Party’s presidential candidate and for all SDP senatorial candidates, all SDP Candidates for the House of Representatives at the elections of Saturday, 25 February 2023 as well as vote for SDP Governorship candidates and all State Assembly candidates nationwide on 11 March 2023”

He said “the National Chairman reiterated the position of the National Working Committee that a vote for SDP is a vote to combat poverty and insecurity with all sincerity and vigour based on principles of social justice.

“The SDP NWC stands firmly that Nigeria needs a new path and Nigerians yearn for an alternative platform with fresh ideas to heal the ills of the status quo. We believe the SDP is that natural alternative platform.

“The NWC urges Nigerians to realise the country cannot afford to lead the people who seek liberation back to their oppressors by way of any alliance”

He stressed that the party is not only youths friendly but youths centred and its manifesto is rooted in youth empowerment and women emancipation with a view to usher in peace, progress and prosperity in our country.

The statement added that: “we have made sacrifices and laboured to build the Party, we must stand by the Party and vote for the Party”.

He urged Nigerians to eschew vote buying and vote for justice to choose the leader with an undoubtedly superior manifesto in order to ultimately feel that they have voted for a credible alternative.