The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SDP

  • Suit on UPN, SDP today

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High court, Abuja will today commence hearing in a suit filed an activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over  the registration of two alleged prohibited political parties-Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) to participate in next year’s general elections.

    He is asking the court to nullify the purported registration granted the two parties for having been proscribed and dissolved by existing laws.

    Joined as co-defendants in the suit are the UPN and SDP.

    In the originating summon filed by Mr. James Ode Abah of Bamidele Aturu Chambers, the plaintiff claimed that UPN and SDP can no longer be registered as new political parties having been outlawed out of existence by the Political Parties Dissolution Decrees of 1984 and 1993.

    The pro-democracy activist, therefore, is asking the court to determine whether INEC has power to resuscitate prohibited and dissolved political parties without first repealing the laws that proscribed them.

    Akinnola also wants the court to determine whether political parties dissolved or prohibited by an existing law from acting as political parties can function or act as parties without the repeal of the law that proscribed them.

    The plaintiff  in the suit is further claiming a declarations that, having been duly dissolved by virtue of existing laws of 1984 and 1993, the UPN and SDP, are no longer political parties in the country and cannot function as such.

    The plaintiff also applied for a court declaration that INEC, as the first defendant in the action, cannot validly or lawfully register the two parties in the face of the laws that legally dissolved them.

    He therefore sought for the court order compelling INEC to de-register the two parties and its agents, officers, servants and privies by whomsoever from recognising or treating UPN and SDP as political parties in the country.

  • Falae presents SDP in Lagos

    Falae presents SDP in Lagos

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been described as the third force in the nation’s political terrain, which would bring about a real and needed change in the polity.

    The National Chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae and other leaders, such as Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Supo Sonibare spoke yesterday in Yaba, Lagos at the presentation of SDP to Lagosians.

    The event attracted other Afenifere leaders like the Lagos State Chairman, Rufus Osula, an engineer; Senator Gbenga Kaka, who represented Chief Segun Osoba; the National Treasurer/Southeast Leader, Chief Basil Nnandi; the National Secretary, Sodiq Abubakar, among others.

  • Court adjourns suit on SDP, UPN

    Court adjourns suit on SDP, UPN

    AN ABUJA Federal High Court yesterday adjourned to December 9, the suit filed by a human rights activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Social Democratic Party ( SDP ) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

    In his originating summons filed in August,  Akinnola is challenging the registration of the two political parties by INEC.

    Akinnola is praying the court to nullify the purported registration of the two parties by the INEC on account that the two parties, having been dissolved by existing laws, as well as urging the court to determine whether INEC has the power to resuscitate prohibited and dissolved parties.

    Filed on his behalf by Mr. James Ode Abah of Bamidele Aturu Chambers,  Akinnola argued that both SDP and UPN were outlawed out of existence by the Political Parties Dissolution Decrees of 1984 and 1993.

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned the case to December  9, to enable all the defendants to be properly served with the court processes.

  • Eight Ogun lawmakers join PDP, SDP

    Eight Ogun lawmakers join PDP, SDP

    Eight members of the Ogun State House of Assembly have joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    The Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, read the letter of the defection during plenary.

    He said:  “I received a letter announcing the defection of Joseph Adegbesan (Ijebu North II), Salmon Adeleke (Imeko -Afon), John Obafemi (Remo North), Remmy Hazzan (Odoogbolu) and Obafemi Olowo-Oloja (Ijebu East) to the PDP.

    “I also got three letters this morning from Olufemi Allen-Taylor (Abeokuta South II),  Oludaisi Elemide (Odeda) and Elizabeth Anifowose (Obafemi -Owode)  announcing their defection to the SDP.”

    This brings the number of APC lawmakers in the 26-member Assembly to 13, PDP 10 and SDP three.

    After inauguration in 2011, there were 17 APC lawmakers, PDP six and the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) had three.

    Adeleke, Obafemi and Adegbesan were elected on the PPN floated by former Governor Gbenga Daniel.

     

  • Activist sues INEC for registering UPN, SDP

    Activist sues INEC for registering UPN, SDP

    A pro-democracy activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at a Federal High Court, Abuja, on alleged unlawful registration of two proscribed political parties – Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) – to participate in the 2015 general elections.

    Akinnola is praying the court to nullify the purported registration granted the two parties because they had been proscribed and dissolved by existing laws.

    Joined as co-defendants are UPN and SDP.

    In an originating summons filed by Mr. James Ode Abah of Bamidele Aturu Chambers, the plaintiff claimed that UPN and SDP couls no longer be registered as new parties, having been outlawed by the Political Parties Dissolution Decrees of 1984 and 1993.

    The pro-democracy activist is asking the court to determine whether or not INEC has the power to resuscitate prohibited and dissolved parties without first repealing the laws that proscribed them.

    Akinnola also prayed the court to determine whether or not parties dissolved or prohibited by an existing law could function or act as parties without the repeal of the law that proscribed them.

    The plaintiff is seeking a declaration that, having been duly dissolved by existing laws of 1984 and 1993, the UPN and SDP were no longer parties and could not function as such.

    The activist applied for a court declaration that INEC, as the first defendant in the action, could not validly or lawfully register the two parties in the face of the existing laws that legally dissolved them.

  • Olu Falae rallies support for SDP candidate

    Olu Falae rallies support for SDP candidate

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi will bring calm, integrity and transparency to Osun State, if voted for in the August 9 poll, the party’s National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, has said.

    Falae, in a message to party members, called on the electorate to vote for Akinwusi as the best option among the governorship candidates.

    He said: “Our candidate is a distinguished retired public officer. He is a complete gentleman and I am certain that he is the perfect person Osun State needs at this time. So, I strongly called on Osun people to massively vote for him.

    “He is not just bringing integrity into governance; he has served the state as Head of Service and came out with clean hands. He was an honest public officer who knows what to do. Osun people will do themselves a great honour to support and vote for him as a technocrat.”

    Falae, who is an Afenifere chieftain and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), regretted that the election, like other recent elections, was being subjected to money politics.

    Monetisation of politics, he noted, was not pronounced during the 1999 general elections when he stood as a presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

    “It is regrettable that due to high level of poverty in the land, parties that control funds at state and federal levels buy election all over Nigeria,” Falae stated.

    He praised the SDP members for their steadfastness and by proofing that politics is not only about money or mere pecuniary gains, but about good governance and people’s welfare.

    Falae bemoaned the high level of corruption in the  polity, regretting that dishonest individuals without regard for the masses are now at the helm of affairs.

    Campaign teams of SDP continued their mobilisation yesterday at Olaoluwa, Ayedire, Ila and Boluwaduro local government Areas.

    The teams were in Ifedayo, Ife-South and Oriade local governments last Tuesday.

  • SDP candidate attacks parties

    SDP candidate attacks parties

    The Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) candidate, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, has called on the electorate to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the August 9 poll.

    Akinwusi, who is the state’s former Head of Service (HOS),spoke while addressing members of SDP in Ibokun at the weekend after the party’s campaign tour of some communities in the areas.

    He decried the killing of  Tola Adeosun in Ilesa last Friday during a bloody fracas between APC and PDP supporters.

    He accused the two parties for allegedly “rearing thugs” ahead of the August election.

  • Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, has stated that civil servants are better managers of men and resources than professional politicians.

    Akinwusi spoke during an interaction with a group of retirees in his campaign office in Osogbo yesterday.

    He decried the manner in which politicians had nearly ran the nation aground, saying it would be suicidal for public servants to wholly entrust their lives in the promises of politicians.

    The SDP governorship candidate, who served former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the incumbent, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola as Head of Service (HOS), stated that he had been among politicians and therefore knows what they were up to.

    He stated that civil servants are technocrats who ensure stability and continuity of government and have contributed immensely to the development of the nation.

    “Public officers are expected to be loyal, anonymous and impartial to government but that is not saying we must be blind followers of politicians. Now, they are going around making several promises to civil servants in the state but none of them can be trusted.

    “It is dangerous to just believe in today’s Nigerian politicians who are unstable in their ways. Yesterday they were in PDP, today, they are in APC and by tomorrow they jump back to PDP. Can they be trusted? I say no. We cannot take them by their words”

    “Now, they are prostrating and begging for votes, if by chance they get into office, they become the kings and we become the slaves. They will rule with iron fists as if we are nobody”, he stated.

     

  • ‘Sharing kerosene, rice to voters against democratic culture’

    ‘Sharing kerosene, rice to voters against democratic culture’

    Governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Osun State, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, has decried the distribution of kerosene, foodstuff and cloths to electorate by some politicians.

    Akinwusi, who said the practice was against democratic culture, lamented that some wealthy politicians were only exploiting the country’s high level of poverty to woo unsuspecting voters to their sides by sharing kerosene and foodstuffs.

    The SDP candidate, in an interview in Osogbo yesterday, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check the excesses of the parties which he alleged were deeply involved in such acts.

    Akinwusi said: “I have told people who do not have conscience to collect these things from them, but those who have conscience should reject them.

    “It is disgraceful that the two parties are holding sway at both the national and the state levels and have all failed in eradicating poverty. Now, election is aot the corner and they are spending little of our stolen collective wealth, which could have been used to turn the lives of people around, as baits to catch people into their nets.”

    The former Head of Service (HOS) regretted that rather than moving around to campaign about issues and how to bring about better governance, the parties involved “are going around the state sharing money, kerosene, rice, beans and so on”.

    He urged voters to be wary of such gifts, warning that whatever they were distributing now to induce voters would be their “dividends of democracy” for four years if any of the party emerges as winner.

    “For us, we have established ourselves in the heart of people. We joined the SDP without rolling in millions of naira and today our party stands the best chance of winning the August 9, 2014 poll.

    “The difference between us and those people was that while they are running around inducing people, it is people who know our worth and what we are capable of doing that are coming around to identify with us”, he stated.

    On while prominent politicians have not joined the state’s SDP, Akinwusi said: “We see those so-called big politicians moving around between two parties because they think there would be something to share. But with us, they know they are going to contribute to help the party grows. So, they won’t come”.

    He urged the electorate to close their eyes to what he called “rent-a-crow” rallies.

    He said voting for SDP in the August election would bring about better governance, full employment for youth, economic turn-around and rejuvenated public service.

     

  • SDP seeks probe of members’ kidnap

    SDP seeks probe of members’ kidnap

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Muhammed Abubakar, to investigate the circumstances leading to the alleged kidnap of three of its members in Osun State at the weekend.

    The state party Chairman, Mr. Ademola Isola, in a statement in Osogbo, expressed concern over the incident, calling on all security agencies to be on the watch as the August 9 Osun governorship election approaches.

    He said SDP members, including the party chairman in Ede-North Local Government, Alhaji Adewimbi Kadiri, Mrs. Titilayo Alaanu and Mrs. Musili Usman, were abducted during their house-to-house campaign at Alusekere ward of Ede on Saturday.

    The SDP Chairman thanked the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Maishanu, for his timely intervention and the DSS for treating his party members, who were found with no incriminating materials, with respect.

    “But we still want the IG to investigate this matter,” he said.