By: Monday Danladi , Bauchi
Prince Adewole Adebayo has been deleted as the Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), for the 2027 general elections.
He was unanimously elected by delegates from the 36 States and FCT during the elective national convention of the party held at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Memorial Stadium in Bauchi on Saturday.
The delegates cast their votes through voice votes led by Chairman of each state in line with the provisions of the constitution of the party as well as the electoral guidelines.
Adewole Adebayo was the sole presidential Aspirant before the election and he was duly elected and returned unopposed.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman, National Convention Organizing Committee, Usman Bugaje, “We welcome all of the patriotic members of our party who have to fight the threats of insecurity, the exorbitant petrol prices, the terrible roads and after all these struggles return to homes that are dark, without electricity, with hardly any food to eat and probably with youth who have finished schools for years without jobs.”
He added,”That despite all these challenges you are able to come in your numbers is a measure of your commitment and determination to change your fortunes for good. No sacrifice is too great in changing fortunes for the nearly three hundred million oppressed people. Congratulations for the courage of conviction and for standing out of a timid and spineless crowd that are running to take shelter in a ruling party that has stolen the country high and dry and busy distributing largess to mercenaries and leaving teeming Nigerians in excruciating poverty and utter misery.”
He added,”We express our gratitude to God the Almighty, but for whose grace the SDP would not have survived the hostile environment within which all opposition parties are struggling to survive and thrive. We are all too aware of the challenges: National institutions like the judiciary and the Democratic Institutions like INEC have become tools in the hands of unscrupulous politicians, tossing them around like chess pieces.”
According to him,”The attempt by the ruling party to block the political space and eliminate competition and opposition is the most despicable of all offenses today. Those in the ruling party, and those in INEC and those in the judiciary who are aiding and abetting this crime appear to be, not only bereft of character, but also bereft of history. ”
Usman Bugaje added that,”Only a quarter century ago, Late General Abacha with all his military might and vicious character like his chief security officer did what they could, detained who they could, killed who they could; yet could not get what they wanted.”
He stressed, “They don’t seem to have the mind to understand the lessons of history, for those who aided and abated ended their lives in ignominy. God is watching. Nigerians are watching and praying, and history is recording your despicable behavior and there are consequences either here or there or both. For us there is no going back, we believe that doing right at the right time, is the right thing to do. Doing otherwise is playing with God and certainly the Almighty is up to it.”
According to him,”The theme of this National Convention and Presidential Primaries is ‘Building a People’s Coalition to Secure Our Homeland and Defeat Poverty. This theme underscores the significance of political parties in a democracy. When a particular party fails to deliver on the security and welfare of citizens, which is the essence of governance, that democracy offers citizen a choice of other parties who can provide better quality of life..”
“The SDP being a social democratic party is particularly positioned to provide that alternative. The alternative the SDP is providing is not only in its philosophy, but also in the character and competence of its candidates. For while other parties are presenting candidates that have been a party to all the problems we are going through today, the SDP is presenting fresh, energetic and competent candidates who are coming into politics precisely because of the failure of the political class to better the life of Nigerians in the last quarter century.”
He further stated that,”Our party may not have the big men and may not have the deep pockets that have characterized our politics in the last 25 years. But these big men and deep pockets are exactly what has brought the country on its knees. Our is define by our efforts to harvest the big ideas and courage of conviction that have always build great nations. We are striving to reach out to those brilliant minds and those courageous few who are ready to stand up to the rubbish that has become our politics today.”
“We are reaching out to those good men and women who are realizing that leaving politics to our criminal elements has disastrous consequences, and must therefore be ready to come out and salvage their country. We are reaching out to the pious and the righteous who are realizing that their absence on the stage has meant that evil will occupy all the space and will toxify the atmosphere suffocating even those in the temples,” he added.
According to him, “The time for the change we are looking for is now. And reading history, no gain comes without pain. We must be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to salvage our country from the brinks.”
He concluded that, “Throughout history those who succeeded in saving the country from decay and extinction have never been the rich or the powerful, it is the common people like you and me and all we need is courage, tenacity and of course faith in God the Almighty. May He guide our steps. Amin. I rest my case. And I leave you in Peace.”
The Convention also elected new national leaders of the party in line with the constitution of the party with Prof Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe emerging as the National Chairman while Sen Ugochukwu Uba elected as Deputy National Chairman (South) and Dr Olu Agunloye emerging as the National Secretary.
Other National Officers are: Hajiya Mariam Maggie Batubo, Treasurer, Barr Joseph Achile Abu, National Organizing Secretary, Anaba Rufus Aiyenigba, National Publicity Secretary, Barr Aderemi Abimbola, Legal Adviser and Mal Bello Ado Hussaini, Financial Secretary.
The rest are: Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdullahi, Women Leader, Hon Daniel Ibe, Youth Leader, Rosemary Effiong, Welfare Secretary and Chief Lekan Alabi, Leader, PWDs.
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