Submit Gana’s name to INEC within 24 hours, SDP youths tell Falae

The crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) over the presidential candidature deepened on Tuesday as youth asked the party’s National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae to submit the name of Prof. Jerry Gana to the electoral body as the presidential candidate within 24 hours, pending an alternative judgement by a higher court.

The SDP national youth leader, Nwanka Stanley, who addressed journalists in Abuja, also demanded the resignation of the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, within the next 24 hours having become the running mate of Donald Duke to obey the party constitution.

Stanley said Gana’s name should be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) considering the fact that the case had lingered since December 14th 2018, when the High Court ruling was given and also in fairness to the enormous contribution of Prof Gana to the party.

He promised to take an alternative action which he refused to disclose at the expiration of the ultimatum.

Meanwhile, Professor Gana has accused the SDP National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, and the Party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Gabam, of acting on a script following the refusal to submit his name to the electoral body as the presidential candidate.

Gana, who spoke today through the Director General, Professor Jerry Gana Presidential Campaign Team G19, Dr Ike Neliaku, said he remained the authentic presidential candidate of the SDP.

Neliaku said they would proceed with the campaign as Chief Falae’s alleged preferred candidate, Duke, was not in the party to contest the presidency.

He said, “It has now become very clear that the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party Alhaji Gabam without recourse to other members of the NWC have continued to act as though the party is a private venture.

“I hereby state categorically that it has always been obvious, and we say so on good authority that the duo have a script other than the interest of the party, which they have manipulated thus far and would henceforth continue no more.

“Otherwise, how does one explain their stand on this matter, in spite of the fact that majority of NWC members, State Chairmen and party faithful have continued to cry and shout across the country, insisting that Prof  Gana’s name be submitted INEC; instead of subscribing to the demand of the majority, the duo have resorted to direct threats, intimidation and suspension of those who dare their actions.

“Given that our presidential candidacy is on the platform of the SDP we have resisted commenting publicly on these sordid manipulations, but we discovered that the more we keep quiet the more the public is misled into accepting lies as truth, minority as majority, thereby creating non-existing public perception.”