State chairmen of the Social Democratic Party have backed the decision of a faction of the party to endorse Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for Saturday’s presidential election.
Their position was contained in a communique issued at the end of their emergency meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday night.
The communique, made available to journalists on Thursday, was signed by the chairman of the Forum of State Chairmen, Collins Oreruan, of Edo State chapter.
The chairmen based their position on Atiku’s promises to restructure Nigeria, devolve more powers to the lower tiers of governance, bridge the gap between the poor and the rich, end insecurity and reduce unemployment.
The communique read, “The SDP state chairmen who met 9pm today (Wednesday) at Asokoro, Abuja expressed disappointment and condemned the appointment of parallel state chairmen by few renegade members of the party using such ‘chairmen’ to issue counter statements purporting to endorse Buhari against the popular directive of the SDP NEC at a well attended meeting on Wednesday 12/2/19 that all the SDP state chapters rally members and supporters to vote for Atiku Abubakar during the Saturday election.
“We believe that it will amount to poverty of principle and conscience to be endorsing Buhari few days to election after working tirelessly for over three years preparing for his replacement for non performance.
“The forum further observed that the fake statements written in the same pattern and authored by one person were issued by the renegade group within the party in order to persuade their sponsors that they have the support of all the state chairmen so as to get some money for themselves.
“Flowing from the above, SDP chairmen wish to restate the party’s commitment to Atiku Abubakar presidency which promises to restructure Nigerian polity, devolve more powers to the lower tiers of governance, bridge the gap between the poor and the rich; end insecurity and reduce unemployment.
“Finally, the forum called on INEC not to deal with any person possing as state chairman apart from those whose record of election they have.
“The chairmen commended the forum of SDP National Assembly candidates for endorsing the adoption of Atiku Abubakar.”
State chairmen who attended the meeting included those of Edo, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Niger, Plateau, Bauchi, Kebbi and Kano states.
Others are Nasarawa, Kogi, Osun, Oyo, Taraba, Rivers, Bayelsa, Enugu, Anambra, Lagos, Kwara, Adamawa, Gombe and Ondo states.
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