SDP bans members from engaging in talks with other parties except NWC

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, on Wednesday, banned members of the party and its candidates from making commitments on the direction the party would take and other related matters in the coming general elections.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the national publicity of the party, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba against the repeated claims of a former member of the party that the SDP had formed an alliance with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The statement said that “it is only the National Working Committee (NWC) that has authority to determine the direction of the party with regard to elections and related matters.”

The statement further added that the leadership of the party stated that “no members or candidates of the party are authorised to make any commitments on behalf of the party without clearing this with the National Working Committee.”

Advertisement

According to it, “for the avoidance of any doubts, the SDP National Headquarters further made itself clear by defining “members” to include zonal chairmen, state chairmen, local government chairmen and ward chairmen and “candidates” to include the presidential, governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly candidates.”

It added that the national chairman condemned, “in very strong terms, such unauthorized and illegitimate moves while stressing that ‘no member or candidate of the party has the powers to negotiate or decide on any form of alliance with any other political party or candidates at whatever level.”

While urging the members of the public to pay proper attention to the party’s position, Alhaji Gabam warned that “any member or groups of the party found to be involved would face appropriate severe sanctions,” the statement added.