- ONDO SDP SUMMIT:
*SDP NOT YET DECIDED ON COALITION*
PUBLIC STATEMENT
By
Hon. Femi Akinmurele, Ondo SDP Chapter. 14 September 2020
Ondo State Chapter of Social Democratic Party (SDP) held a Summit of stakeholders of the Party on Saturday, 12 September 2020 at the State Secretariat in Akure. The Summit comprised National and State officers in the State, the State Caucus, selected State Leaders, all Local Government Chairmen, the Governorship Candidate and the Deputy Governorship Candidate, members of the Campaign Organisation as well as all the Chairmanship and Councillorship Candidates in the recent Local Government election in the State. The Agenda of the Summit to chart a way forward concerning the forthcoming gubernatorial election centred on political situation in Ondo State and the Strategies for SDP.
At the all-inclusive meeting, members dispassionately analysed the current political situation in the State as well as the activities and preparedness of the top four political parties, including SDP towards the October 10 Governorship election. After detailed deliberations and analysis, the following positions were reached.
a. The Summit recalled that SDP performed very well at the 22 August 2020 Local Government election in the State. The LG candidates were called out and praised for their gallant performance. All the LG candidates were tagged as heroes of the struggle for the emancipation of Ondo State.
b. The Summit denounced various anomalies in the last LG election such as violence, multiple thumbprinting, ballot box snatching and denying of victory to SDP Candidates at various Local Government Areas.
c. The Summit commended the performance of the SDP Candidates, Prince Peter Oyeleye Fasua and Chief Mrs Funlayo Ajayi after inspecting samples of their posters, banners and receiving reports of their billboards, tours across the State and their readiness for the October election.
d. The Summit analysed the “on-ground” strengths and performances of PDP, ZLP and APC, the major competitors of SDP.
e. The Summit discussed the possibility of SDP going into electoral coalition with one of three major parties in the State to attain victory but there were divergent opinions on which of the three leading parties in the State to support.
f. The Summit also noted that should SDP decide to go into coalition with APC, this would be with prerequisite conditions relating to the victories denied SDP candidates in the last LG elections.
g. There were also strong views for SDP to stay with the state-wide strength and structure of the Party and remain without any coalition with any other political Party so as to squarely face the issues of development of our Party, SDP.
In concluding, the leadership of the Party expressed determination to apply internal mechanisms in arriving at the best option that will be in the interest of the Party and its members. All Party members were also enjoined to remain loyal to SDP as better days of progress await the Party.
Hon Femi Akinmurele,
Summit Secretary
*Ondo State Chapter Social Democratic Party, SDP*
14 September 2020