SDP speaks on endorsing Tinubu
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has revealed conditions to admit the presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and political actors of other political parties who might have interest in using its platform.
The Acting National Chairman of the SDP, Chief Supo Shonibare, made this revelation while interacting with newsmen on the sidelines of the party’s congress held in Lagos.
There have been speculations that some political actors in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may want to dump their parties for an alternative platform, should they are not comfortable with the outcome of their parties’ primaries.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a presidential aspirant of the APC has been rumored to be considering a second option like SDP.
It was reported that some loyalists of the national leader of the APC has advised him to prepare a second plan in case the presidential primary election does not favour his ‘life-time’ ambition.
The acting chairman said, “We welcome people from other political parties who feel that they have been unjustly treated in their present party, but we will not be a vehicle for opportunistic individuals who in our own judgement think have been part of the problem of Nigeria.
“SDP cannot be a clone of PDP or APC, in that case why are we offering ourselves as alternatives.
He added that, “We won’t welcome people who have been convicted even if they say they are appealing against the conviction, we won’t welcome people with pending cases even if the case has not been determined.
“If, prima facie, we look at their matter and we see that there are allegations against them that are waiting, because we have a committee consisting of lawyers, if they look at the allegations, particularly when the charge has been proffered, and the person has not been convicted, we will not wish to push people like that as our flag bearers in the face of indictment.”
