The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SDP

  • BREAKING: Two die in SDP, APC clash in Edo

    Two persons have been reportedly killed while six others injured in a clash between the supporters of All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at Imiegba in Estako East Local Government Area.
    Witnesses said there were sporadic shootings which led to the killings.
    It was gathered that trouble started when the SDP Edo North senatorial candidate, Hon Abubakar Momoh was at Imiegba to inaugurate projects when his convoy ran into a campaign rally of the APC canvassing votes for APC candidates.
    Details later……
  • Alleged substitution: Edo SDP ‘candidate’ heads for court

    Alleged substitution: Edo SDP ‘candidate’ heads for court

    A MEMBER of the Edo State Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oarhe Dickson, is challenging in court the alleged substitution of his name without his consent as Owan constituency’s “authentic candidate” for the House of Representatives election on April 11.
    The politician alleged that he emerged the party’s consensus candidate at its primary on November 29, 2014.
    Dickson said those who later defected to SDP from other parties wanted to usurp his candidacy.
    His lawyer filed the suit at the Federal High Court in the Benin Judicial Division.
    The suit has Ekeinde Stephen Obas, SDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the first, second and third defendants.
    It is seeking an “originating summons for the interpretation of sections 87 (6), (4)(c), (1) and 33 of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, and a letter to Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) at Ikpoba Hill, Benin, and received by the third defendant on January 19, brought pursuant to Order 3, Rule 9 (1) & (2) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009”.
    The plaintiff is asking the court the following questions for determination:
    •Whether the plaintiff, who was confirmed as the second defendant’s candidate by consensus during a special congress of the second defendant, is not the proper candidate of the second defendant to be sent to the third defendant as the second defendant’s candidate for the House of Representatives, Owan Federal Constituency in Edo State;
    •Whether the second defendant can remove the name of the plaintiff after same had been submitted to the third defendant as the candidate of the second defendant for the March 28 National Assembly election (House of Representatives), Owan Federal Constituency, Edo State; and
    •Whether the first and second defendants can circumvent the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.
    The plaintiff said if the answer to Question One is in the affirmative and the answer to Two and Three are in the negative, he is seeking the following reliefs:
    •“A declaration that the purported withdrawal of plaintiff’s name and the subsequent submission of name of 1st defendant as candidate of the second defendant to the third defendant is illegal, null, void and of no legal consequence or significance.
    •“A consequential order mandating the third defendant not to act on the subsequent submission of the first defendant as the candidate of the second defendant representing Owan in the House of Representatives.
    •“An order of this court compelling and/or mandating the third defendant to act on the letter of the plaintiff, dated January 19, in which the plaintiff was named as the candidate of the second defendant for Owan Federal Constituency; and
    •“An order of the court that the plaintiff is the valid candidate of the second defendant for the election into House of Representatives, Owan Federal Constituency, and the third defendant should treat him as such.”

  • I’m not returning to PDP, says SDP candidate

    I’m not returning to PDP, says SDP candidate

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has denied claims that he is planning to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said the claim was unfounded, stressing that he was in the SDP to effect a change in the state, if elected.

    This came as he observed that the PDP would have to do much to remain as a party, if it survived the present implosion.

    Makinde was among the top contenders for the PDP governorship ticket but defected to the SDP when confronted with perceived injustice, the same factor that drove another governorship aspirant and a former governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, from the party.

    The governorship hopeful said he had forgotten everything that happened in his former party, maintaining that the survival of PDP would have to be worked upon to enable it retain its status as a formidable party.

    Makinde said: “The government we intend to run under the SDP is the one that will place Oyo State on the world-map of development and re-enact the glorious era referred to above which earned us the sobriquet ‘pace-setter’.

    “By the time the people of Oyo State vote for us and we receive the mandate to govern this state, the difference will be clear between us and those who have held the position in the past, it will clearly show that ours is a government of mission and vision.”

    On the choice of his party’s presidential candidate, he said the choice “is not about any party, but about the people. We make a lot of mistakes as politicians, appropriating to ourselves the power of life and death”.

    “We forget most of the time that those of us in politics in the true sense of it are just about 10 per cent of the population, so, how come that our small number will determine who and who gets what at the broad level?

    “In short, whatever the choice of any party, the ultimate power lies with the people and that’s the beauty of democracy, so leave the generality of Nigerians to adopt whoever they want and vote accordingly.”

  • I’ll care for teachers, says SDP candidate

    I’ll care for teachers, says SDP candidate

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has promised to alleviate the “suffering” of primary school teachers and train them to improve their productivity, if elected.

    Makinde made the promise at an interactive session with teachers in Ibadan, the state capital.

    He said most teachers age fast and lack constant in-training to make them better at their jobs.

    The SDP candidate said: “The best teacher is one with the basic tools to do the job; hence our desire to provide our schools with the necessary tools, if we have the opportunity to rule the state.”

    The leaders of the teachers, Oyedele Adelaja, said teaching, which is the mother of all professions, has remained the most neglected and the least catered for by successive governments.

    The gathering was attended by the teacher who taught Makinde in Primary Six, Pa Onaolapo Fantola, who was also a pupil under Makinde’s late father.

  • SDP candidate advises Oyo voters

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has advised the people to place less emphasis on religion and focus on how to eradicate poverty.

    Makinde said this after interactive sessions with leaders of religious groups, which he described as “fruitful and eye-opening”.

    The SDP candidate said his mission in government would not be to place one religion above the other, but to be just, fair and accountable to his creator.

    Makinde said: “If God had wanted mankind to worship Him through one religion, He would have decreed it and since He did not do that, I don’t think it is the responsibility of any individual or group to decree one religion out of existence.

    “My main concern in government is my desire to banish poverty, which has no religion, race, creed or colour. It is our common denominator and we all must  drive it out.”

  • Oyo SDP candidate restates his mission

    Oyo SDP candidate restates his mission

    Over 2,000 people have joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State. The party Chairman, Sunday Adelaja, received the defectors in Iwajowa Local Government Area. He said they would be given equal opportunities with old members.

    The party chairman congratulated the defectors for identifying with the SDP and promised that they would not regret their decision.

    He told the party supporters and loyalists, who converged on the palace of Sabiganna of Iganna to listen to the governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde.

    Makinde thanked the politicians for their kind words about him and reiterated his commitment to banishing poverty in the state.

    He said his coming into politics was not for personal enrichment, but to use the opportunity to liberate the people.

    The SDP candidate enjoined his supporters to work assiduously for the success of the party, saying “it is by your work that we can get to office through which we can actualise our plans for the state”.

  • Makinde to donate salary to pensioners

    Makinde to donate salary to pensioners

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Oluseyi Makinde, has promised to donate his salaries to teachers’ pensions, if elected.

    He made the promise while addressing teachers from five local governments during his campaign in Saki, Saki West Local Government Area.

    Makinde held a town hall meeting with teachers from Saki East, Saki West, Atisbo, Oorelope and Irepo local governments of Oke-Ogun.

    The governorship candidate said he knew what the teachers were passing through, adding that his donation would mitigate the waiting period for their gratuity and pension.

    The governorship candidate later met with the Okere-in-Council, Baale Gaji, Baale Iya, members of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Oke-Ogun and the Saki branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

  • Osoba faults Amosun’s projects

    Osoba faults Amosun’s projects

    Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Chief Olusegun Osoba yesterday criticised Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun for neglecting a part of the state.

    He said the governor had concentrated development in a certain area of the state.

    Osoba, a former governor, is promoting the candidacy of Chief Akin Odunsi for governor. He spoke in Ago Iwoye, Ijebu North Local Government Area, at a meeting with traditional chiefs, community and party supporters.

    “The governor is the governor of Abeokuta. That is where most of the projects are situated, while other areas are left out.”

    Osoba inaugurated some projects executed by Senator Adegbenga Kaka, who is seeking reelection on the platform of the SDP.

    Speaking on the relationship between Amosun and his deputy, Prince Segun Adesegun, the former governor said: “We gave Adesegun as Amosun’s deputy because of his experience as a commissioner for Works in my administration.

    “We had expected that the governor would tap from Adesegun’s wealth of experience in governance but the governor chose otherwise and started building bridges where there is no water.”

  • Makinde to help fire victims

    Makinde to help fire victims

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has promised to help the fire victims of the ‘S and T’ army barracks, Ibadan.

    The barracks, built with planks, went up in flames at the weekend, rendering the victims homeless.

    Makinde made the promise when he visited the scene on his way to a campaign tour of Oke-Ogun area (Oyo North).

    The SDP governorship candidate told the victims to see the incident as a natural disaster common during the dry season.

    Makinde called for a list of the victims to be sent to his campaign organisation.

    One of the victims, Gabriel Adeyemo, thanked the candidate for identifying with them.

  • SDP‘s mega rally today in Ibadan

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) will today hold a mega rally at the Mapo Hill, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to unveil its governorship candidate, Oluseyi Makinde and his running mate, Suleiman Adediran, a.k.a Santana.

    A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity for the Seyi Makinde Campaign Group, Wale Adele, said the event will be attended by all national leaders of the party, including Chief Olu Falae, former Governor Segun Osoba, among others.

    The event will also unveil other contestants for various offices, including House of Assembly seats and the National Assembly seats.

    The statement enjoined all party faithful and the public to be rest assured of adequate security arrangement for them and their property.