2023: Crisis Rocks SDP As Party Leadership Gets Divided Over Obi’s Endorsement

It’s barely 48 hours to the presidential election and the crisis in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) seems to have taken a different turn as the party leadership is divided on which presidential candidate to vote for at the polls.

Naija News reported on Wednesday that the SDP had refuted claims of adopting the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Bola Tinibu, as its presidential candidate in the Saturday, February 25, election.

The party on Wednesday reiterated its decision to support the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

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 Obi as the SDP candidate on Saturday.

Dass made this known in a statement titled: “SDP: Count Us Out Of Tinubu’s Adoption. Peter Obi Is Our Presidential Candidate.”

According to him, it was necessary to set the record straight due to allegations that some leaders of the party in Oyo State are supporting the former governor of Lagos State, contrary to the decision of the party to support Peter Obi.

However, Naija News learnt that in a counter-statement, the party’s former acting Chairman, Dr Olu Agunloye in a fresh statement on Thursday told SDP members and supporters to vote for the party’s presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo on Saturday.

He observed that the party was not in alliance with any political party in the forthcoming presidential election.

Agunloye noted 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 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.

“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 to 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.

“We have made sacrifices and laboured to build the Party, we must stand by the Party and vote for the Party.”