Tuesday, 19th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

SDP factions unite, promise to eradicate poverty, insecurity

By Muyiwa Adeyemi
29 September 2022   |   2:22 am
National leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Wednesday said the internal crisis rocking the party has been amicably resolved, promising to eradicate poverty and insecurity in Nigeria

Prof Femi Olufunmilade, Presidential candidate of the party Prince Adewole Adebayo, Senator Ebenezer Ekehina and national secretary of the party Dr Olu Agunloye at the reconciliation meeting in Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday.

National leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Wednesday said the internal crisis rocking the party has been amicably resolved, promising to eradicate poverty and insecurity in Nigeria within two years.

The leaders, who addressed the media in Ikeja, Lagos, after a reconciliation meeting, disclosed that feuding members of the party have agreed to sheathe their swords and work for the victory of the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The presidential candidate of the party, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said that with the development, SDP has displayed that it is an organised party, capable of resolving its internal crisis and should be trusted by Nigerians to solve socio-economic and political crises bedevilling the country.

Adebayo said he was, particularly happy that the crux of the disagreement was not a fight for money or personal gains but on principles and how to develop the country.

He said: “Nigerians don’t want status quo and they don’t want a disunited party to lead them. A political party must show that it has what it takes to lead and we are happy because we are not travelling to London to hold a series of meetings to find solutions to our disagreement.”

The SDP presidential hopeful said it was unfortunate that after 30 years that the late Chief M K O Abiola campaigned to banish poverty in Nigeria, the country has not done much to make life abundant for the people. He, however, blamed bad leadership for the poor quality of life most Nigerians have been subjected to.

He said, “On this day that campaign for 2023 general elections begin, I am telling Nigerians that if our party is elected to govern this country, housing, food and other basic necessities of life will not be an issue. Our party has what it takes to repeat and improve on what the late Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola had planned to do for Nigerians in 1993, that is why we are asking Nigerians to vote for our party.”

He thanked former presidential candidates of the party, Chief Olu Falae, Senator Ebenezer Ekehina and other leaders for stabilising the party.

While thanking all the national leaders for the rapprochement, Adewole noted that SDP is the only party without factions at the national and state levels because of the determination of the members to work together and fix Nigeria.

SDP’s national secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye, who also represented the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam said he was pleased that aggrieved members of the party had come together to work for the victory of SDP, noting that they are now in a position to win the 2023 presidential election.

The former Minister of Power and Steel, who said he was in touch with the national chairman of the party till 2.30 a.m. disclosed that he was indisposed and asked him to represent him at the meeting. Agunloye said though he had been accused of playing different roles during the crisis, he took certain decisions in the interest of the party and thanked all members for reasoning together to sheathe their swords.

Senator Ikeyina said it is only the SDP that can give Nigerians a social democratic government according to section 2 of the 1999 Constitution, expressing optimism that coming together of the members is the first step to having an impressive election in 2023.

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung noted that there was no better way for the party to kick start its campaign than the reconciliation meeting and the resolve of the members to work together ahead of the 2023 general elections, urging Nigerians to vote for all candidates of the party.

Fielding questions on the pending court cases against the national leadership of the party, Adewole said, “Our collective resolution here today will take care of that. Though some of the cases have been struck out by the court it is our determination to work together that matters. I thank Chief Dapo Sonibare for his efforts and roles in the party.”

Other party leaders at the meeting included the governorship candidate of the party in Lagos State, Chief Kunle Uthman, his Nassarawa State counterpart Mallam Mustapha Silas Bauchi Guber candidate, Patrick Anatua and South West Zonal Secretary of the party Femi Olaniyi.

In this article

0 Comments