LOKOJA: The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dissociated itself from the purported election of Ahmed Attah led factional Executive Council of the party, insisting that they were not members of the party in Kogi state.
Speaking with our correspondent in Lokoja on Friday, the Chairman, Peter Oricha, noted that he remains the chairman of the party till April 2026 by the SDP constitution, which specifies a four-year term for any elected officials of the party.
According to him, they couldn’t have been members of the SDP haven not resigned from their various political parties, saying that they came with Muritala Ajaka who was the candidate of the party in the 2023 governorship election in the state as supporters group and not as members of SDP.
“To the best of my Knowledge it was only Muritala Ajaka, the candidate of our party in the last governorship election in the state and his running mate, Ranti Abenemi who defected from their parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic party, (PDP) respectively to our party. The records are there for any one to see.
“Therefore we do not have these characters in our register. They should show evidence that they are members of the SDP, if they have one. I am the custordian of the records of the party, their names are not in our register.
“It’s the same register that we have with the INEC and their names are not in the INEC list as members of my political party. They are simply impostors who want to be Smart by half.
“My advise to them is to toe the part of honour and stop following those desperate politicians who wan to use them to achieve their own selfish end. It will not be long before the long arm of the law will catch up with them.
“If they want to join the party, they should follow the proper channel instead of going through the window. It’s only thieves that enter any house through the roof.
The state Chairman, emphasized the importance of SDP leadership, saying that he was dully elected on the 9th April, 2022 as party chairman, according to him, ‘”to the best of my knowledge, the constitution provide for the tenure of four years for an elected chairman, so I remain an authentic chairman of SDP in kogi state and my tenure will end in 2026″, he stressed.
He further noted that he joined SDP in 2014, when he became the party chairman of SDP in Ajaokuta local government area and same time became the chairman of Chairmen forum in kogi central senatorial district.
The list of the purported EXCOS from the disputed Congress, who the chairman said have not resigned from their various political parties and their name’s not in the SDP party register till now, includes; Ahmed Attah, Chairman, Yusuf Agomi Ojapa, Deputy Chairman and Alh. Idris A. Sofada, Secretary.
Others are Emife Ronke Mercy, Women Leader, Zakaria Ahmed Buhari, Youth Leader Barr. Dugbanya David, Legal Adviser and Adutu Ojomebyo David, Organizing Secretary among others.
