By Jude Opara
The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Gombe has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately shrinking the democratic space by the subtle attacks on key opposition political parties.
Gombe spoke in Abuja on Thursday while declaring open a meeting with governorship candidates of the party, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He equally used the occasion to reiterate that the SDP is not a party to the rainbow coalition being ochastrated by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike.
“As you are aware the sitting government, when it realizes that it lost touch with the Nigerian people based on bad governance and record in all areas of power and governance in this country, they resort into something they call rainbow coalition. But they are going around trying to find how they will infiltrate some political parties to cajole their members in a so-called rainbow coalition so that they can break our ranks.
“So this is what SDP is all about. We are not into any rainbow coalition whereby we will be candidates here, we’ll be professing for both APC presidency. But no, we are SDP and we are for SDP candidates. So this is what we came and as part of the policy of the party, we have taken a stand that as much as we are not part of anything to do with any rainbow coalition, if at all any member of our party engages into that, we have told the National and the party and means of discipline any member that go into that without any”.
The National Chairman told the governorship candidates that the meeting was important, so as to enable them plan on how to approach the February 6th governorship election and also train their party agents on vigilance.
“Then going forward on the 6th of February 2026 the gubernatorial elections and the state assembly will take place. So that is why it’s normal and it’s more strategic to come together with the candidates and discuss, strategize and share perspectives of the elections, how to synergize and how to share perspectives.
“And see through how we can make sure that we have the maximum benefit of winning the elections in all the states and at the national level. Inshallah 2027. So that is why we are here today to discuss with the candidates and we are happy all the nine that were invited are all here.
“As you can see they are present all the regions. So we are happy to tell you that SDP is up and doing. SDP is committed to making sure that we do everything possible to contribute towards free, fair and credible election in 2027”.
On the chances of the party at the January 16 presidential election, Gombe said the party is poised to clinch victory because it has the best candidate in Prince Adewole Adebayo and his running mate, Dr. Usman Bugaje.
“We are ready, we have been. We are doing everything possible to win the election at the national level and most of the states of the federation. The respect and we want to assure Nigerians that the SDP as it stands out today will present to the Nigerian electorate the most credible alternative at the national level with our presidential candidate and the vice presidential candidate Prince Dr Adewale Adebayor and Dr Usman Bugaje.
“And we challenge whoever go through and see whether among the 18 political parties that are contesting today, whether they are second to none in terms of whatever indices needed to elect leaders as we are all aware leadership is about people in terms of capacity, competence, character and patriotism”.
The party also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to desist from the alleged attempt to be harassing its candidates, especially in cases that are still pending in court.
In a solidarity move, the SDP boss equally condemned the alleged disqualification of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar from participating in the forthcoming elections.
“Secondly, we condemn everything possible towards the so-called disqualification of the ADC candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. This is a democracy. We want Nigerians to be allowed to freely exercise their franchise.
“A political party has the right to present a candidate to contest the election. So we forsee a lot of things by the ruling party toward closing the democratic space or going against individual party candidates and so on.
We will not allow anything that will truncate our democracy because we have come a long way in this journey. And the president and the party in power are the product of democracy. In fact, he emerges after becoming the president as an opposition”.
He also reminded President Bola Tinubu and the APC that they were once in the opposition, before they were able to win elections.
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