The Deputy National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Abdul Ahmed Ishaq, has threatened to sanction anybody instigating intra party wranglings within its fold.
Dr Ishaq spoke on Friday at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja when youths from Benue State paid a solidarity visit over the replacement of the governorship candidate in the state.
The SDP had replaced its governorship candidate in Benue State, Hon Hinga Biem, with Dr Hwande Terungwa Stephen, following a petition brought against him.
The development had created a sharp division in the state chapter of the party.
The placard-carrying youths, who stormed the party’s national headquarters, hailed the choice of Dr Stephen for making the right decision.
But speaking on the issue, the SDP deputy national chairman said the party took decision because it wanted victory in next year’s governorship election.
“Hinga Biem is a very respected member of this party. If we hear anybody saying any negative thing against him, the party has powers, the party will invoke its powers; he is a very respected person. But when we are doing political calculation, we want to win election, that’s where all these things are, zoning and so on, it is not because we don’t like him or we don’t love him. We like him and we love him and he is my friend,” he also said.
He implored the youth to work with all the party organs in the state to galvanise support towards winning next year’s election.
Also speaking, the SDP National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, who lauded the youths for their peaceful conduct, said the decision was not for parochial reasons but in the interest of the party and that of the state.
Gabam said it was a very strategic decision meant to secure victory for the SDP in Benue State and not to shortchange anyone.
“We believe that that decision was strategically taken, it wasn’t to shortchange anybody; we are all one party we are all one family. We were thinking towards making SDP great in Benue; we don’t want to give any chance, we want to ensure that we win Benue State Government House come 2019,” he said.
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