Donald Duke Defeats Other Candidates To Emerge SDP Presidential Candidate

Donald Duke Emerges SDP Presidential Candidate

A former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has been declared as the 2019 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

At the party primary and national convention which held at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja on Saturday, Duke emerged victorious with 812 votes to defeat his close rival, former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana, who polled 611 votes.

In other results of the party’s presidential primary election declared by the convention returning officer, Abdul Isiaq, on Sunday, John Dara, former Special Assistant to Theophilus Danjuma, former defence minister, scored 104 votes, former ambassador and former minister, Iyorwuese Hagher, polled 72 votes; former ambassador, Felix Osakwe scored 10 votes, while the number of invalid votes was 63.

Mr Duke in his acceptance speech, called on all party members to work collectively to ensure victory for the party in the 2019 general elections.

In the early hours of the morning, I was declared winner of the SDP presidential primaries. I am grateful to all party members and delegates who have entrusted me with this mandate. The work of getting Nigeria on track starts now. #EveryoneMatters pic.twitter.com/4Yg7gmaOKk

— Donald Duke (@Donald_Duke) October 7, 2018

He said the work to ensure a better Nigeria has just begun as the primary was just a step in the contest.

The former governor also promised to tour the length and breadth of the country to mobilize support for the party.

Naija News recalls Duke dumped the PDP for the SDP when it became clear he wouldn’t be able to realize his ambition of becoming Nigeria’s president in 2019 on the platform of the PDP.