The Social Democratic Party has denied reports suggesting it pulled out of Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, insisting that its candidate remains actively participating in the contest.
In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, described the withdrawal claim as false and intended to misinform voters ahead of the election.
According to Aiyenigba, the SDP’s governorship candidate, Isaac Alade, is duly recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission and remains on the ballot for the poll.
He said, “The Ekiti electorate and members of the public are hereby assured by the National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, and the National Working Committee that the SDP is on the ballot, and its candidate, Isaac Alade, the validly nominated candidate who signed the INEC Peace Pact, remains strongly in contention for the election.”
The party urged residents of the state and its supporters to ignore the alleged withdrawal notice, claiming it was being circulated by individuals it described as “political jobbers” seeking to create confusion.
The SDP also accused INEC of denying it the opportunity to upload the names of its polling unit agents, despite reportedly providing access codes to the party’s national headquarters.
Aiyenigba alleged that officials at the commission’s headquarters failed to activate the portal needed for the exercise, warning that such actions could cast doubt on the integrity of the electoral process.
“The SDP hereby declares that in an election such as this, where the actions and inactions of the electoral umpire show an unhidden bias, the outcome becomes a nullity, considering that the deliberate locking out of agents of a major opposition party like the SDP by the commission erodes the credibility of the election,” the statement added.
Reiterating its resolve to participate in the election, the party said it remains committed to offering Ekiti residents an alternative platform focused on good governance, inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity.
The SDP further pledged to continue supporting efforts aimed at strengthening electoral transparency and promoting credible democratic processes across the country.
