The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Social Democratic Party

  • Appeal Court declares Donald Duke SDP presidential candidate

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared ex-Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    In a unanimous decision by a three-man panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, the court set aside the December 14, 2018 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which had declared Jerry Gana the candidate of the party.

    The court awarded N500,000 cost against Gana and in favour of Duke.

    Gana, who came second with 611 votes, the SDP presidential primary held on October 6, 2018 had sued at the High Court of the FCT, challenging the competence of Duke’s participation in the primary in view of the zoning and rotation provision in the party’s amended constitution of 2018.

    Gana had contended that Duke, who came first at the primary with 812 votes, was not qualified to become the party’s presidential candidate because, by the zoning and rotation provisions in Article 15(3)(2) of the amended constitution, Duke, a southerner cannot be the presidential candidate while the party’s National chairman was also from the southern part of the country.

    According to Gana, under the amended constitution of the party, which provides for the zoning of the major offices including that of the national chairman and president, between South and North, and rotation among the six geo-political zones, a section of the country cannot produce both the national chairman and the president.

    In the lead judgment read on Thursday by Justice Aboki, the Court of Appeal held that as at when the SDP’s presidential primary was conducted on October 6 last year, the party’s constitution that was in operation was that of 2011/2012 which did not provide for either zoning or rotation.

    The court said although the party’s national convention adopted the amendment to the party’s constitution on October 6 last year, the amended constitution did not become operation until October 8, 2018 when it was registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required under the Nigerian Constitution.

    The court said the FCT High Court ought not to have heard the suit filed by Gana because it was premised on a wrong understanding of the zoning provision in the party’s constitution.

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    It further said the zoning and rotation provisions only apply to positions like the national chairman and president, but not presidential candidate. It said the provision could only be activated if the party’s candidate emerges as a president of the country.

    The court said it would have amounted to discrimination and a denial of constitutional guaranteed right for a member of a party to be prevented from contesting for a position solely because he is from a section of the country as the party’s National chairman.

    It said the trial court contradicted itself in its January 14, 2019 judgement when, after holding that the amended constitution of the party was not operational as at when all process leading to the presidential primary were concluded, went ahead to void the outcome of the primary.

    The appellate court wondered why Gana did not raise the issue before the conduct of the primary. It also wondered why Gana did not challenge the participation of the other three aspirants, who are all from the southern part of the country.

    The court, which held that Gana was bound by the undertaking he signed to abide by the outcome of the primary and to support the winner, only challenged Duke because he (Duke) won the primary.

    In his supporting judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim, said Gana was seeking to achieve cheap victory, which he could not get at the primary.

    Justice Agim said having signed an undertaking, like every other aspirants, to abide by the outcome of the primary, it was wrong for Gana to have turned around to seek to contest the primary’s outcome.

    He said the conduct by Gana was responsible for why the nation’s political space was tense and violent prone.

    He said if political leaders learn to conduct themselves with decorum and civility, there will not be need for the unending litigation engaged in by them before and after elections.

    Both Gana and Duke were in court throughout the over three hours that the judgment lasted.

    Gana, who looked unhappy, bolted out of the courtroom immediately the court rose at the conclusion of the judgment.

    He failed to interact with anybody, not even the journalists, who sought his opinion.

    Duke, who was happy with the outcome of the judgment, greeted and hugged his supporters and friends who came to him after the proceedings.

  • Appeal Court restores Donald Duke as SDP presidential candidate

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared ex-Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    In a unanimous decision by a three-man panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, the court set aside the December 14, 2018 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which had declared Jerry Gana the candidate of the party.

    The court awarded N500,000 cost against Gana, in favour of Duke.

    Details Soon…

  • 2019: SDP’s intra-party crisis rages on

    The unending crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) over who should fly its presidential banner in the 2019 general elections is not over yet. Rather, the tussle for the ticket is getting messier as the gladiators now head to the Appeal Court to determine the authentic presidential candidate of the party in spite of an earlier court pronouncement on the same issue, writes Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor.

    Chances that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) will put up a good showing during the next presidential election is dwindling as two of its prominent chieftains continue their legal struggle for the presidential ticket of the party, barely six weeks to the all important electoral contest. In spite of efforts by party elders and other well wishers to end the furore as well as a pronouncement at the tail end of last year, the matter of who the party’s presidential candidate is remained unresolved.

    Findings by The Nation revealed that the party may have been divided into two groups of supporters lining up behind the contenders for the ticket, former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River state and former Information Minister, Jerry Gana. “The SDP is unprepared for the next elections, at least the presidential race. Today, we have a party divided into two over the presidential ticket.

    “Following the High Court judgement last month, efforts were made to find a political solution to the crisis but the gladiators, especially those backing the two men in the eye of the storm, made things difficult. We got to a stage that we almost convinced the duo to share the tickets with one being the presidential candidate and the other the running mate. We almost achieved this before their supporters scuttled the process. Now, the crisis has moved to the Appeal court,” a source said.

    As it is, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has fixed January 15 for hearing of the appeal filed by the national leadership of the party  challenging the High Court judgement that removed Duke as its presidential candidate and replaced him with Gana, who had approached the court seeking to be declared as the rightful person who should fly the banner of the SDP during the 2019 elections.

    The High Court sitting in Maitama, FCT, on December 14, sacked Duke and declared Gana, as the winner of the presidential primary election of the party conducted on Oct. 6. The court agreed with Gana that Duke’s emergence contravened the zoning clause in the party’s constitution and as such should not be allowed to stand. Thus, Gana, who came second in the primary election, was handed the presidential ticket as requested.

    Not satisfied with the high court judgement, the party and Duke approached the appellate court through their lawyer, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), for an upturn of the judgement. Speaking after the controversial High Court judgement, Duke said “While we await a copy of the judgement for a detailed review, it is imperative we reiterate our constitutionally backed belief.

    “Every Nigerian who meets the legal requirement is entitled to contest for the office of the president. Any law that seeks to curtail or subvert that right under any guise is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect. “The delegates of our great party at its convention in October, overwhelmingly elected me as their presidential flag-bearer. Any attempt to subvert their wishes through the instrumentality of the courts will be challenged.”

    When the matter was called by the court during the week, Jegede said the matter was adjourned on Monday for a report of success or otherwise of service of processes on Gana. They had told the court on Monday of the difficulty in serving the processes on the respondent which led the court to grant an order of substituted service.

    While confirming to the court that Gana on has finally personally received the processes, his lawyer, M.S. Ibrahim, pleaded with the court for a leave of 21 days to allow them respond to the issues raised in the processes. Jegede, however, argued that with the elections barely five weeks away, it would be expedient for all parties and the court to judiciously manage time.

    After much argument over the matter, with the appellants accusing the respondents of trying to waste the time of the court over a matter that is time bound given the urgency needed as the election date draws nearer, the three-man panel of the court led by Justice Adamu Jauro, directed that Gana should file his response within eight days and adjourned the hearing to January 15.

    Many leaders and chieftains of the party were in court to witness the commencement of the appeal. According to a chieftain of the party from Ogun state, “the outcome of the process means a lot to the future of SDP as a party. This is beyond jus the 2019 election. If those who truly mean well for the party are denied their rights to contest by the court or any other agency, the party will suffer for it.”

    Party’s position

    However, the SDP said Duke remained its presidential candidate even as the ruling of a lower court that gave the candidacy to Prof. Jerry Gana is being challenged. Its Director, Media and Publicity, Yemi Akinbode, said no order was made with respect to the enforcement of the lower court judgement put on hold owing to the motion filed by the Appellants.

    Akinbode said Duke was validly nominated at the party’s October 6 national convention and his name already submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He recalled that ex-Minister of Information, Jerry Gana congratulated, hugged and wished Duke well after the result of the primary election was announced.

    The party spokesperson added that the constant references to the SDP Constitution by those kicking against Duke’s candidacy is premature and misplaced. He insisted that any claim that Southsouth candidates were barred from participating in the primary is untrue. He asked why the issues about zoning and constitutional provisions were not raised before and during the shadow election.

    “Ex-governor Duke emerged through a transparent process and delegates were never directed to vote for any presidential aspirant. Those now asking that he should be screened out or disqualified should have raised that before or during the election. There were two aspirants from the South-South Zone and three aspirants from the North Central Zone. Duke was the first person to submit the nomination form at a widely publicised event and no one ever protested until he won the primary.

    All the four other contestants including Prof. Gana actively participated in all the preliminary and final stages of the presidential primary and SDP did not issue any statement directing its members to vote for or against any presidential aspirant from any particular geographic zone. The party understands that Gana was very disappointed by the outcome of the primary.

    “So the party sent a high-ranking delegation headed by National Chairman Chief Olu Falae to visit and explain to him, to assuage his feelings and appreciate his contributions to the party. We duly appreciate the significant contributions that the elder statesman Gana has put to the development of the party since he joined six months ago. Above all, they had privately and publicly appreciated the tremendous contributions that he has made to Nigeria over the last 45 years,” he explained.

    Further checks by The Nation revealed that as part of efforts to politically resolved the crisis, the leadership of the party had before and after the High Court judgement appealed to Gana to accept the result of the primary election and join Duke on the ticket as the Vice presidential candidate of the party for the forthcoming 2019 presidential election.

    Adamant

    But Gana, it was learnt by our correspondent, rejected all offers other than the presidential ticket. ‘Especially after he got that controversial judgment in his favor, he refused to listen to any other suggestion. All he wants is the presidential ticket. But the party, conscious of the fact that he didn’t win the primary election and unwilling to trample on the rights of the man that won, refused to accede to his demands,” our source said.

    Speaking on the crisis recently, the former Minister said he is in the SDP to win the forthcoming 2019 presidential election and not to be running mate, hinting that he will not accept any offer for him to deputize Duke on the party’s ticket. He warned the leadership of SDP not to take the decision of him becoming running mate to Duke, if the party wants to win election.

    “I do not mind at all but, the party will definitely want a strategy, that is a winning strategy. Let us be very realistic the South South have just concluded a turn of the presidency during former President Goodluck Jonathan, if Nigerians are to be real they will know that it is too soon to have a presidential candidate running for an election from that zone.

    “The other zones of Nigeria would also want to have the vote, so if you want to win election the party will not do that. But if they want to just play politics they would do that. I am not for that I am for winning election,” the former Minister, who is now before the Court of Appeal to ensure that the presidential ticket handed him by the lower court last December is not taken away from him, said.

  • 2019: Gana expresses fears over 1, 400 illegal entry points

     

    Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Professor Jerry Gana on Saturday expressed concerned over the 1, 400 illegal entry points into the country ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The sad development, he said, should be a major source of worry for government and major stakeholders as it may threaten the polls.

    The former Minister of Information spoke in Abuja at the 2019 presidential stakeholder’s summit of the party.

    He vowed to tackle the issue of insecurity and corruption, if voted into power.

    According Gana: “We have every cause to be worried because there are about 1, 400 illegal entry points in Nigeria.

    “Some people are entering Nigeria any day, anytime, and anyhow. I am worried about this.

    “And some people enter with all kinds of things. Insecurity is the major problem in Nigeria.

    “We have poor leadership. The reason why we are not making progress is that there is too much corruption in the land.

    “I will take Nigeria by storm by winning the 2019 presidential election. On the second issue that Nigerians are worried about is the issue of poverty.

    “It is very alarming that people find it difficult to feed especially for the ordinary Nigerians.”

    Gana went on:  “Nigerians are tired of the lies and deception and will not hesitate to vote SDP which stands for equity, justice and fairness into power in 2019.

    “A party that is youth and women friendly and have zero tolerance for corruption.

    “A party like the SDP, which is committed to the welfare and well- being of the masses is what Nigerians are looking for at this time to end all the impunity, gross abuse of due process and massive corruption ravaging this country  to revamp the economy.”

    The summit drew party supporters from across the country.

  • 2019: The battle ahead in Benue Northeast

    As the 2019 general elections draw closer, more indications are merging that some senatorial seats will be keenly contested largely because of the personalities of the contenders, their political status and age-long rivalries, among other reasons. Uja Emmanuel in Makurdi reports that the Benue Northeast senatorial seat is one of such battlegrounds to watch out for.

    THE northeastern senatorial district of Benue State, otherwise known as zone A, is surely going to witness a fierce battle among the candidates jostling for its senatorial seat come 2019. Ex-governor Gabriel Suswam is the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the area, while former national Chairman of the PDP, Chief Barnabas Gemade, emerged as the standard bearer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    And as if the parade of the political heavyweights is not enough, former Military Administrator of Katsina state, Col. Joseph Akaagerger, picked the ticket of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the senatorial election and the All Progressives Congress (APC), on its part, presented former Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) boss, Mimi Orubibi, as its candidate for the northeastern senatorial battle.

    Unlike in 2015, when the contest for the senatorial seat was a straight battle between Gemade and Suswam, a new dimension has been added to the 2019 election with the return of the immediate past Senator representing the district, Senator Joseph Akaageger, as a contender in the race. The ex-Milad was denied a chance to return to the senate in 2015 when he and others, including Suswam, were shoved aside by Gemade who made it to the red chamber on the platform of the APC.

    Since he lost the 2015 senatorial election to the present occupant, Gemade, the former governor of Benue State, has remained in the party and worked assiduously to reposition the then opposition party as he prepares to take a second shot at the seat in 2019.

    Suswam, unlike Gemade, remained in the PDP since he joined the party, Gemade, on the other hand, left the party and joined the APC in 2014, when it was obvious that he was not going to win the primaries against the then incumbent governor, Suswam, in 2014. The former PDP boss went ahead to defeat Suswam in the political tsunami that sent the PDP packing in 2015.

    Now, Gemade has dumped the APC. He did alongside Governor Samuel Ortom and joined PDP. But his return to his former party, where he was once the national chairman, hit the rocks largely because Suswam was the sole financier of the party prior to the return of Governor Ortom and his people. The attempt by Gemade to corner the PDP senatorial ticket on his return was resisted by Suswam’s camp.

    Before the defections, party congresses had been completed with the former governor having the upper hands in almost all party offices where he planted his men in the state, local government and the ward levels. At the zonal level, it is the same story as Suswam is firmly in control of PDP structure. This accounts for the reason why Gemade did not waste time, defecting again to SDP, less than one month after he left APC to join PDP.

    “In fact, Gemade accused Ortom of betraying him in the political realignment that saw both of them defecting, but Governor Ortom, through his media aide, Tahav Agerzua, dismissed the allegations saying “Ortom doesn’t betray people. He also joined PDP and canvassed for delegates and has no control over them.” From the above scenario, the former governor entered the race with his eyes boldly set on the senatorial seat.”

    He is not a push-over in the senatorial zone and the former governor’s greatest weapons are his benevolence and the cult-like followership he commands. With a large crowd of supporters who are ready to do his biddings at all times, he looks ready to wrestle the seat from Suswam come 2019. Dom Agya, as the former governor is known and called by his admirers, according to his supporters, has empowered many people and given many opportunities to youths and women in the zone. That perhaps explains why they are massively behind him in his quest to represent the zone in the senate.

    Gemade on his part is a founding father of the PDP, arguably one of its most successful chieftains in the state haven emerged as its national chairman and board of trustees member in his sixteen years of membership. A two-term senator and the current occupant of the Benue north-east senatorial seat, is today the SDP senatorial candidate for the zone in 2019 election.

    Some analysts insist the former chairman of PDP is a candidate to beat, having occupied the zone A Senate seat for eight years, and as such, cannot be said to be a push over. Gemade, it was gathered, has executed many protects in the zone since emerging as its senator. For these and other reasons, his supporters are saying in spite of his defection to SDP, he will retain the seat.

    In 2015, when nobody gave him a chance, he defeated an incumbent governor. The same scenario may play out in 2019. Even those who want Gemade out are not complaining about his achievements, but are saying he has completed two terms of four years each and should therefore give way for someone else to occupy the senatorial seat come 2019.

    This is just as some others are saying he is too old to remain in the senate as the representative of Benue northeast. But his supporters have found an answer to this; Baba shi Aza (means let Baba Gemade go back to the senate with experience). Personally, Senator Gemade is not bothered about what his detractors are saying, as he is going about his campaigns with a mindset that he is the better candidate.

    For Mimi Orubibi, little was known about this woman until she was appointed the Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) through the influence of Senator George Akume at the inception of Governor Ortom’s administration. She was, however, fired after three years in the saddle following disagreement between Ortom and his estranged political godfather, Senator Akume.

    She emerged the APC senatorial candidate for Benue northeast after defeating four other candidates in the party’s senatorial primary election. One of the arguments of those opposed to her aspiration is that she is married to a man from Niger Delta. But her supporters insist that since she hails from Kwande Local Government, an area currently laying claims to the senate seat based on an unwritten zoning arrangement, she is the candidate to beat.

    Also, Orubibi is no doubt a leading candidate because of the popularity of the APC in the state, coupled with the fact that she is favoured by the disputed zoning arrangement in the senatorial district. Not a few analysts are also of the opinion that the support and backing she enjoys from former Governor Akume will also give her an edge over the other contestants.

    Akaagerger, the former military administrator in the race, once defeated Gemade and was elected senator for four years.  But his attempt to return to the senate failed as Gemade bounced back to defeat him. Today, he has joined the group of candidates hoping to prevent the current occupier of the senatorial seat, Gemade, from returning for another term in office.

    Interestingly, Akaagerger was the leader of the SDP in Benue State before Gemade came in after his short-lived return to the PDP and sent him packing. He cried foul after the process that handed Gemade the SDP ticket but the political weight of the former PDP national chairman was too much for the national leadership of the SDP to toy with. Consequently, they handed him all the party structures.

    Not to be deterred in his bid to return to the senate for another stint come 2019, Senator Akaagerger promptly picked the senatorial ticket of the PRP. But analysts are wondering how the politician commonly referred to as “Ambe u Konshisha”, clinched the senatorial seat on the platform of the PRP, a political party that is not well known in Benue State. Only the final outcome of the senatorial election can answer this question.

  • 2019: SDP will shock APC, PDP – Owolabi

    Lagos businesswoman and philanthropist, Tessy Owolabi, has thrown her hat into the ring of political contest. The former student union leader, who is currently the House of Representatives candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the 2019 national assembly elections in Eti-Osa federal constituency of Lagos State, says her party will surprise Nigerians with the performance it will record across the country in the forthcoming elections. In this interview with Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, the University of Ibadan graduate says her decision to contest the election is premised on a burning desire to give the people of her constituency better representation at the national assembly. She spoke on other pressing issues. Excerpts.

    The final lap of the 2019 general election is on; how will you describe the participation of female politicians? Is it better than what we had before?

    The participation of female politicians is slightly better than what it used to be before now. But let me quickly add that it can still be better than what we are seeing now. There is a growing need for women to throw their hats into the ring like some of us have done. The task of changing the current situation in our country must not be left in the hands of men alone.

    It was when I got involved in politics that I got to understand why we women need to come forward and play our roles as mothers and home builders in the herculean task of nation building. There is so much to be done. There is so much to be changed and there is so much women can do better. Even men understand why more women should be allowed to participate in politics at decision making stage.

    It is not enough for women to be used as party members and supporters. The call for 30% affirmative action in support of women participation in politics is yielding fruits but it must be sustained so that more political parties and political leaders will hearken to the call and give more women the opportunity to come forward, like I have done, and offer themselves for leadership roles.

    So you think the big parties have done enough as it is to encourage women in politics, or not?

    The big parties have not done enough to encourage women in politics. They can do more. The few women that are out now are only able to come out because the new parties encouraged and provided enabling ground for women politicians which l am a beneficiary of. For this, I am grateful to my party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP). I am, however, not surprised because one of the core values of the party is equity and fairness.

    I can only urge other political parties, especially the big parties, to do more to encourage women to participate in politics. The country, as I said, needs the women to bring their motherly touch to bear on the governance of Nigeria. Let’s even see what we can do differently with more women involved. We cannot keep guessing when we can simply provide the enabling environment to see for ourselves by electing more women into positions across the country.

    Talking about your aspiration, what motivated your interest in politics and how did you start?

    I have always been an activist since my university days at the University of Ibadan, where l contested for the position of Hall Chairperson and Students Representative Council (SRC) member. My politics started from that time. My interest in politics has to do with seeing an end to the total decadence we suffer, such as poor leadership and mismanagement of the national wealth without regard for peoples welfare.

    I have always been moved by the injustice and oppression of the masses by people put in position of authority. Successive administrations in the country have impoverished the people. I have been saying enough is enough as an activist and now I want to try my best as a politician to help improve the quality of governance in my dear country.

    If the men fail us, we the women should come out. The future of our children should not be mortgaged. We have no other country. Youths unemployment, insecurity of lives and properties, hunger, poor social amenities, senseless killings, corruption, lack of transparency and accountability; the list is endless. All these require attention and we must all support the fight against these things especially now.

    Why are you seeking a seat in the House of Representatives?

    I am seeking a seat in the House of Representatives so as to make my own contributions to the total development of my country. I want to touch the lives of the good people of my ETI OSA community. l have lived here for 27 years. I want to help make a Eti-Osa a better place for our children and the generation yet unborn. The motherly instinct of seeing youth roaming the streets helplessly pushed me into the race.

    I am a woman. I interact with women and children every day. I can tell you nobody can know them better than a mother. Our women are helplessly hungry. We see insecurity and violence everywhere. All these cannot allow me sit back while all these are going on in my community. I am concerned about my constituency and the people there. We need to get a better deal. That is what I am offering.

    You want to touch the lives of your people better. In specific terms, how do you intend to do this if elected?

    I want to touch the lives of my people and give them a better deal by giving them quality representation. I want to do this by representing them with accountability and commitment as my watchwords. They need someone who feels their pains and I feel their pains. They desire a representative who will manage the affairs of the constituency with transparency.

    How well do you know Eti-Osa and its communities and people for you to think you can give them a better representation at the national assembly?

    Remember, l said earlier that I have lived at Eti Osa for 27years. My children schooled here. And we are all working here at Eti Osa. Most of the people here, l know them one on one. We all did school runs together as parents. We were all members of the various school parent associations together. We were part of Ikoyi Club. And my church, Ikoyi Baptist Church, is also another meeting platform for many of us.

    So I am an ETI OSA person prim and proper. Each area in ETI OSA has peculiar problems that are distinct from those of another area. lkoyi. Victoria lsland. Lekki. Ajah. They all have their own issues. Some are ecological problem, insecurity and multi taxation. Others are youth restlessness, violence and environmental issues. You will remember last year, the lsland was submerged by flood. Imagine the loss suffered by our people.

    Insecurity is also another very serious issue. l was almost kidnapped three years ago on the bridge during my workout. The work is enormous. I will come all out and sit down with my people one on one if elected and together, we will have the Eti Osa of our dream. We will work to put in place a safe and secure environment for our children and the generation yet unborn.

    Before venturing into politics, what were you doing in terms of community participation and how did that prepare you for your current pursuit?

    I am a businesswoman. I am a member of various women organisations where issues of community welfare are major issues. We give to prisons and motherless homes. We raise funds for youths development and skill acquisition efforts. Recently, we started promoting women participation in politics. This was after we noticed that women’s participation in politic is rather poor and not encouraging.

    In my private life too, I have been doing the best I can to help my people surmount some of their problems. I have been giving assistance especially in the areas of youth engagement and women support. As someone who lives and relates with all forms of people from the high to the low, I have been a source of encouragement and support even before going into politics.

    Why did you choose the SDP as the party to use and do you think your party can go far?

    I couldn’t have chosen a better party. The social Democratic Party (SDP) is the party to beat and you just can’t imagine how widespread it is. It is a party of democrats that captures the true essence of good governance. And the party is ready to win across the country. SDP will shock many politicians in 2019. We have the support of the people and we are hoping to win across the country.

    Take a look at the party’s manifestoes. Total welfarism, accountability and transparency. SDP will go very far. Just watch out when the election results start coming in. We are capturing the national assembly. We will also do well at the states level across the country. We have seasoned, tested and trusted members that are well grounded in their various communities. We are in tune with the people and the people have trusted them to represent them. No questions about that, SDP will do well.

    What’s your plea to INEC and your fellow contestants as the election draw nearer?

    My plea to INEC is to create a level playing field; to be fair and just to all. There should be no favouritism. The electoral body must know that the entire world is watching its activities and as such, avoid the temptations coming its way. I also appeal to my fellow contestants to be objective in their campaign.  We must avoid violence. Insults and abuse during campaigns shouldn’t be encouraged. Above all, we must put the interest of the people we want to govern above personal interests and ambi

  • Omisore confident of winning ‘despite irregularities’

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Dr Iyiola Omisore, expressed confidence that he would win the election despite irregularities.

    Addressing newsmen after casting his vote, he claimed he got reports from across the state that a lot of things were going wrong.

    He said the card readers failed to work in several places while voting materials were yet to arrive in some as at 11am.

    He said unless the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted quickly to resolve the issues, the process would be totally flawed.

    “I cannot adjudge the process fair until these things are addressed,” he said.

    Asked about his assessment of the exercise so far, Omisore said:

    “The process is very bad. It’s not encouraging.

    “There are complaints everywhere. At least two APC thugs in uniform have been arrested.

    “The card readers are very, very slow; extremely slow. I’ve got reports from various parts of the state where there are no card readers at all; or if there are, they’re malfunctioning.

    “In parts of the South, up till now (around 11.30 am), they have not seen electoral materials or officers. So, the irregularities are much.

    “No card reader in Egbedore; Ife South no materials up till now; Osogbo Wards 4 and 5, no materials, no card reader; fake police men and APC thugs arrested; vote buying.

    “If we make complaints to them, they should rectify them.”

    Omisore urged his supporters to remain steadfast and to resist vote buying, which he said they were already doing.

    “Unless INEC addresses these issues, we’ll lose confidence in the process. For now they have not done well.”

    Asked if he was still confident of winning despite the challenges, he said: “All over the state, SDP is the popular party everyone is voting for everywhere.”

    Omisore voted in Unit 003, Ward 1, located in St Gabriel Primary School, Moore, Ile-Ife.

    He voted at exactly 11.16 am following arrival at the unit at about 11.04am.

    He was accompanied by his aides with supporters chanting “Abere Straight!” in reference to the government house.

     

  • Osun Decides 2018: Omisore votes

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Dr Iyiola Omisore, has cast his vote.

    He voted in Unit 003, Ward 1, located in St Gabriel Primary School, Moore, Ile-Ife.

    Read Also: Omisore: Power will shift

    He voted at exactly 11.16 am, having arrived the unit at about 11.04am am.

    He was accompanied by his aides, with supporters chanting “Abere Straight!” in reference to the government house.

    More to follow…

  • ‘We will have zero tolerance for corruption in Adamawa’

    Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa state, Chief Emmanuel Bello has said his government will review the procurement process in the stage as part of promoting zero tolerance for corruption.

    Bello who spoke with newsmen at the party national secretariat after collecting his nomination form said the APC government in the state has ran down the state and lacked the required knowledge of how to tackle the numerous challenges confronting the state.

    He said an SDP government in Adamawa state will use employment generation to address the issue of insecurity, adding that if the people of the state are engaged, majority of the security challenges would have been addressed.

    He said “Our government will have zero tolerance for corruption. People are talking Bout corruption, but are not preferring solution on how to check corruption.

    “The process of procurement in government must be reviewed in Adamawa state because that is where the loophole is and that is where there is corruption. If an office of government sees money every day, what he does is to steal it. So, when we form government, you will not see the money and when you don’t see the money, you will have nothing to steal.

    “What they are doing now is that you can’t trace anything. To make accountability and accountability process transparent, you need to make sure that every money government generates is accounted for to the people who elected you.

    Read Also: 28 Boko Haram suspects held in Adamawa

    “The economy of Adamawa state has been runned down and the process of governance abused and we will ensure that a government is formed in Adamawa that will ensure that there is government in the state.

    “One of the reasons we have insecurity in the country is as a result of the insincerity of the government. They take what does not belong to them. They are stealing our money and Nigerians are angry. If you don’t steal, you have addressed the problem by 30 percent.

    “If you now engage the citizens, another 30 will be addressed and the remaining 40 percent will be left to the security agents to deal with. But the security forces are overwhelmed and government has no initiative to solving the problem. The APC government there does not even know what to do. We know what to do.”

    He said: “We have picked out form and the process has begun in earnest. We will ensure that our party. Become the number one party in Adamawa. The philosophy of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is people oriented. The party is interested in the development of the youth, women and those who are unemployed and underprivileged.

    “The social Democratic Party stands for employment and we will reduce the level, of unemployment. In Adamawa, we will mop up all the unemployed segment and we are calling on all our people outside the state to come back home if he is unemployed because we will create employment for them.

    “We plan to ensure that the security that is paramount and we intend to reorganize our security by engaging our citizens and make sure that they have something to do. We are sure that once our people are engaged, they will not collaborate with external forces. We therefore intend to pursue the issue of security vigorously.

    “We will embark on massive training of teachers to teach. We are not going to he sacking anybody because the SDP is about employing and creating jobs and not sacking people. We are not PDP and we are not APC. So, we do not sack people, but employ people.”

  • Omisore: I will return mission schools, employ skilled youths

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Osun State Sen. Iyiola Omisore has revealed that he would return mission schools to owners and employ skilled youths in the state if elected as governor in the September 22 election. 

     

    Omisore, in an interview with The Nation on Tuesday explained that his first priority will be to boost the morale of civil servants and teachers in the state having been demoralized by irregular payment of their salaries. 

     

    The SDP candidate, who is a former governor of the state between 1999 and 2002, said the demoralized workforce is the engine room of development in the state, hence requires an urgent and special focus by the incoming governor. If elected, he promised to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities promptly as the principal part of his human capital development agenda. 

     

    According to him, a survey has shown that most graduates and artisans in the state have been jobless in the last eight years because of alleged poor government policy. Omisore said he would open up employment for graduates, retrain artisans and employ them through government projects. “Aside graduates, our auto technicians, carpenters, welders etc that have been jobless in the last eight years will be retrained and offered jobs.” He said. 

     

    On mission schools, Omisore said he would return missions schools to original owners with a solid arrangement that will ensure that teachers in such schools do not lose their jobs. He said the arrangement will ensure that students are the major focus of the idea while existing teachers are well taken care of. 

    Read Also: SDP: Court strikes out case against Omisore

     

    The former senator said having governed the state before as deputy governor and served as senator twice, representing one third of the state, he fully understands what the people are grappling with.

     

    He posited that the state needs an experienced politician and leader like him who has been part and parcel for the system since the return of civilian rule in 1999.

     

    His campaign train has visited Iwo, Ilesa and Ikirun.

     

    Omisore recently joined the SDP and picked its governorship ticket. He was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014.