Gana kicks over adoption of Buhari by SDP

Former Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Gana has rejected the adoption of President Muhammadu Buhari by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as its candidate for the February 16 presidential poll.

Gana and his G19 presidential campaign team also condemned the action as the height of betrayal by the party’s leadership.

Briefing reporters on the development on Friday in Abuja, Dr. Ike Neliaku, Director General, G19 Presidential Campaign Team of Prof. Jerry Gana, said majority of the authentic and principled National Executive Committee (NEC) members were not invited to the meeting.

Neliaku said: ” On recent happenings within our party, the Social Democratic Party, we are therefore compelled to once again reach out to you and millions of Nigerians who are shocked by the pronouncement of yesterday by some renegade members of our Party, the SDP, under the guise of a National Executive Committee (NEC) purportedly met in Abuja and resolved to adopt the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as its consensus candidate in the forthcoming presidential election.

“We wish to categorically condemn and dissociate ourselves from this unfortunate, retrogressive, outrageous, unjust, mercantilist, disgraceful betrayal of trust and antiparty activity led by a small faction loyal to the running mate to Donald Duke, Alhaji Shehu Gabam.

“Their pronouncement puts the party in a political mudslide that not only put the party in bad light but is injurious to all other SDP Candidates standing election on the platform of the party.

“This repulsive duplicity is unacceptable to our Campaign Team, our supporters and millions of esteemed SDP members whose voices we represent and on whose mandate this statement is issued.

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“We note that majority of authentic and principled NEC members were not invited to the said meeting; while some that were invited boycotted the meeting.

“Likewise, hirelings were recruited to bear the identities of genuine NEC members, who, though were invited but chose not to be a part of their envisaged insidious plot packaged in a desperate bid to create a perception of acceptability so as to enhance the value of their merchandise and ultimately increase the revenue of their transaction.”

The team added: “We also like to state that the purported suspension of the National Publicity Secretary and some State chairmen of our party is laughable and unacceptable as due process and constitutional provisions were not followed.”

Gana’s campaign team said while it was the right and prerogative of a political party to nominate, endorse or even adopt a candidate of its choice, the action must represent the popular will of the people.

It said: “The process must be inclusive, and the outcome must be transparent. In this instance, these were not so.

“We use this medium to call on all SDP members, supporters and advocates to take a definite stand against this totally unacceptable precedence.

“While we await the judgment of the Supreme Court, we will continue to maintain our single focus and keep hope alive.”

Gana, according to Neliaku will convene a stakeholder’s conference on Monday, in Abuja to mobilise, plan and organise how to win elections in various constituencies.