…Party says it will unite Nigeria, defeat poverty through grassroots mobilisation
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has held its National Convention in Abuja, ratifying the election of Professor Sadiq Gombe as Chairman of the Convention Committee, Dr Olu Agunloye as Secretary and Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande as Deputy Chairman, among other members.
The convention, held on Wednesday at Newton Park Hotel, Abuja, also ratified decisions of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, and National Executive Committee, NEC, directing relevant organs to take disciplinary action against members allegedly involved in unauthorised membership registers, meetings and nominations.
The convention was held under the theme, “Consolidating the Blueprint for a New Nigeria to Secure Homeland and Defeat Poverty.”
Speaking at the event, SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, declared that the party remained “strong, organised and united”, with structures from the national to the ward level intact and ready for the 2027 presidential and general elections.
Gombe urged members to put internal distractions behind them and focus on strengthening the party ahead of the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
He also called on members to move from consultation to mobilisation by strengthening the party’s structures from the polling units upward, with greater emphasis on youths and women.
“The time has come to move from consultation to mobilisation. Every member must return to the grassroots and strengthen our structures from the polling unit upward,” he said.
Gombe said that despite the challenges confronting the party, the SDP remained committed to due process, its constitution, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The SDP was founded on social justice, equity, fairness, inclusion and equal opportunities. Political power must be used to transform society, uplift the people and restore hope to Nigerians,” he said.
Adebayo: SDP will unite Nigeria, defeat poverty
The SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said the party would unite Nigerians, tackle poverty and insecurity and build a country that citizens could be proud of if elected in 2027.
Adebayo said the SDP was founded to serve the people rather than individuals, adding that leadership should be measured by the ability to solve the problems confronting citizens.
“Leadership is not about occupying public office. Leadership is about accepting the responsibility of solving the problems of the people,” he said.
He maintained that Nigeria had sufficient natural resources to prosper and urged voters to support leaders with the capacity and commitment to transform the country.
Recalling the history of the SDP, Adebayo said the party produced the late Chief Moshood Abiola as its presidential candidate in the 1993 election, but the election was annulled and the party subsequently banned.
“Today we are back to complete what we started: to end poverty and insecurity,” he said.
According to him, the SDP was different from other political parties.
“The only thing we share with them is INEC. This party is not for self-glorification. We are here to fix the country,” he said.
Adebayo attributed many of Nigeria’s challenges to poor leadership rather than a lack of natural resources.
“We have oil, gas and minerals that no civilisation in history has had. God did not create Nigeria to be poor,” he said.
He also called for the election of a National Assembly that would reflect Nigeria’s diversity and remain connected to constituents.
“We need representatives who go to Abuja to listen to their brothers and solve problems, not to take,” he said.
The presidential candidate urged party members to commence sustained door-to-door mobilisation across their communities, stressing that winning the 2027 elections would require first winning the confidence of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are tired of excuses. They want change. They want to live without fear of insecurity,” he said.
“Our mission is simple: farewell to poverty and insecurity. Let us stamp our generation’s name in history.”
Bugaje urges members to preserve SDP identity
The SDP vice-presidential candidate, Dr Usman Bugaje, urged members to preserve the identity of the party, saying its strength should be measured by its ideas, integrity and ability to provide solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
“The strength of the SDP is not in big men. It is in our ideas, our integrity, our honesty and our capacity to provide solutions to the problems confronting Nigerians,” Bugaje said.
He warned that Nigeria could not afford further political failure, stressing the need for innovative ideas, sacrifice and responsible leadership to address the country’s challenges.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Forum of SDP State Chairmen, Femi Olaniyi, urged members to strengthen party structures in their respective states rather than depend on the national secretariat in Abuja.
“The strength of this party must come from the states and the grassroots. We cannot build the SDP by depending on Abuja,” he said.
Olaniyi also commended Adebayo for his financial and moral support for the party.
Speaking on behalf of the governorship candidates, former Inspector-General of Police and SDP governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Mohammed Adamu, urged supporters and state chairmen to return to their communities, mobilise voters and support the party’s candidates.
Representing SDP candidates for the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, Solomon Akwashiki called for aggressive grassroots mobilisation to enable the party secure a strong presence in the legislatures.
“We must take the SDP to every community, every ward and every polling unit if we are serious about winning in 2027,” he said.
Also speaking, Prophet Isa El-Buba urged SDP leaders and members to remain committed to the party’s ideals, saying no amount of money was worth compromising their conscience.
“No amount of money is worth selling your conscience. We must remain committed to the struggle to end poverty and insecurity in Nigeria,” he said.
He called for sacrifice and commitment, particularly in addressing poverty and insecurity in Northern Nigeria, while urging the party leadership to remain disciplined, focused and non-sentimental.
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