THE Kogi State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) says it is not unaware that its travails and plot to deny the party from been on the November Kogi governorship ballot is the mastermind of the ruling APC led administration that is jittery of losing the polls.
The state chairman of the SDP, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah in a strongly worded statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday, however says the SDP would be on the ballot for the Kogi governorship election as it has approached the court for legal interpretation.
According to Atimah, the SDP is in court for interpretation, wondering where the Independent National Electoral Commission derived its power to disqualify a candidate.
The SDP pointed out that it is at a crossroads, how the same INEC that cleared the Kwara State Deputy Governor, who is 33 years old and also cleared the Zamfara State Deputy Governor who only turned 33 on Tuesday, would turn around to disqualify the SDP in Kogi State for fielding a 34 year old deputy governorship candidate.
It is important to add that the name of the 34 year SDP deputy governorship candidate was in the process of being substituted, but the SDP wondered why four days to the close of substitution all its attempt to replace the 34 year old with the deputy governorship candidate approved by the stakeholders was refused and made difficult by the INEC.
According to the statement, ” It is equally important to state that the emergence of the SDP governorship candidate was a product of a rigorous exercise, while that of the Deputy governorship candidate which ought to be the decision of the stakeholders was done within the time frame, yet INEC taking orders from the powers that be chose to be mischievous.
” What game is INEC up to in the Kogi Governorship election by seeking to disqualify the SDP from contesting lives much to be desired by their double standards, even with the recently signed into law, an executive order, by President Mohammadu Buhari, the not too young to run bill.
” We’re however urging our supporters to remain steadfast and committed as we have no fear that the SDP, the party set to rescue the state from mal administration would for sure be on the ballot in the November Kogi governorship election.
” We in the SDP have it on good authority that the almost 20 political parties that stepped down at the close of substitution, did so for the APC at a fee, but we assure our party supporters and faithfuls that we would get redress and be on the ballot in the interest of the suffering Kogi people”.
The State Chairman of SDP urged for calm as the party he maintained has the situation under control, promising to sustain its timetable for the forthcoming November governorship election without despair, and assured that come November 17, 2019, the SDP would be declared winner of the Kogi Guber election.
