The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dismissed reports that it has withdrawn from Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, describing the claim as false and the handiwork of political opponents and impostors allegedly working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the party insisted that its candidate, Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade, remains in the race and is duly recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party said Alade’s participation in the recently signed peace accord organised by INEC further confirms his status as the SDP’s validly nominated governorship candidate.
“The Ekiti electorate and members of the general public are hereby assured that the SDP is listed on the ballot and its candidate, Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade, remains strongly in contention for the election,” the statement said.
The SDP alleged that those behind the withdrawal claim were political “jobbers” acting in concert with an expelled former national chairman of the party, Shehu Musa Gabam, whom it accused of attempting to foist an unknown individual on the party as its candidate.
The party also raised concerns over what it described as INEC’s refusal to grant access to its portal for the upload of polling unit agents despite reportedly issuing an access code to the party’s national secretariat.
According to the SDP, officials of the electoral commission at its national headquarters failed to activate the portal, thereby preventing the party from uploading the names of its agents for the election.
The party argued that such actions undermine the credibility of the electoral process and could compromise the integrity of the governorship poll.
“The SDP hereby declares that in an election such as this, where the actions and inactions of the electoral umpire show unhidden bias, the outcome becomes a nullity,” the statement said.
It further alleged that the exclusion of its agents amounted to the disenfranchisement of a major opposition party and accused the APC of orchestrating the development.
Despite the concerns, the SDP reaffirmed its commitment to participating in the election and urged Ekiti voters to support its candidate.
The party described itself as a credible alternative platform capable of delivering good governance, equitable socio-economic development and shared prosperity for the people of the state.
The SDP also reiterated its commitment to promoting free, fair and credible elections as well as strengthening democratic governance in Nigeria.
