SDP

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) says its presidential ticket is not zoned to any part of the country but open to all eligible Nigerians.

Deputy National Chairman of the party, Abdul Isiaq, said this when he received former governor of Cross River and a presidential aspirant, Mr Donald Duke, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Restating that the ticket could go to capable person from any part of the country, Isiaq said “the party gives Nigerians the constitutional right to test their popularity.

“People make mistake thinking that the decision of the party in power will affect every other political party.

“SDP is an open-door party. It is about mobilisation and canvases. Whoever the party choses as candidate, so shall it be’’.

He welcomed Duke to SDP, saying it was a party with committed members and driving force, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

In his remarks, Duke said that he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he had been a member for 20 years because the party had lost its values and now a shadow of itself.

“The PDP we joined in 1998 is certainly not the same party that is in place today.

“When the former President of the country walked away from the part, you should know there is problem somewhere.

“PDP is the first truly national party, but over the years, you will see that it lost that and became a shadow of itself,” he said.

Duke said that he also left PDP to SDP because the nation was seeking for rebirth and most Nigerians were seeking something different and better which the SDP represented.

“I believe that the nation is seeking for rebirth. I believe that most Nigerians are yearning for something different and better and I am hoping that as like minds, we will come together.’’

He also disclosed that he would be contesting for the position of the president on the platform of SDP, and expressed confidence that though 2019 elections may be tough, he would win.

On the president’s refusal of assent to the amended Electoral Act Bill, Duke said that there were a lot of politics around the Electoral Act.

He that the president’s refusal on the bill may not be unconnected with the issue of re-ordering of the election sequence.

“I think that is still largely the underlining reasons for the president veto to the amended Act. In politics, people want to take advantage of what will satisfy them.”

He expressed the hope that issues surrounding the Electoral Act would be resolved in order not to affect the 2019 general elections.