The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Shehu Sani Gabam, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure a decent governorship election in Kogi State.
The party chairman made the call during the Fundraising Dinner for the SDP candidate in the state.
He urged the president to ensure adequate security in the off-season elections including that of Bayelsa and Imo States.
He opined that the presence of security would ensure that voters are free to come out and participate in the exercise without any form of intimidation.
“Whatever happens, the buck stops on his desk. He needs to do the needful by directing security agencies to protect voters to come out and vote without any form of intimidation,” the SDP National Chairman said.
He also assured Kogi State that the party’s governorship candidate, Muritala Ajaka, was poised to reposition the state, and end “poor governance.”
He noted: “We can assure our teeming supporters that the party will not be left behind.
“We will be at the forefront of the campaign for the conduct of a free and fair poll.
“Our democracy needs to be strengthened because there are those who are bent on taking the system down.”
He advocated transparency in the exercise, “The votes must count. The era of rigging should be history. Our ability to mobilise the state.
“The President who happens to be a victim of the process of the past should create a decent environment in these three off-season elections.”
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Wadada Aliyu, said that acceptability and credibility of candidates rather than money inducement would determine the outcome of the Kogi state governorship poll.
Recalling how he, alongside seven other national and Nasarawa state Assembly members scaled through the hurdle in the 2023 general elections, he called on the teeming supporters of the SDP not to give in to any form of intimidation by the ruling All Progressives Congress to cast ballots for their preferred choice on election day, according to the Independent.
He added: “We won’t be intimidated, nor will we be bamboozled by anybody. Election is about the people and whenever the people speak it has to be accepted.
“We are participating because we owe Kogi state and Nigeria the responsibility to strengthen and deepen democracy.
“We have our experience in Nasarawa state. Elections are not only confined to money. You can have all the money in the world, yet Kogites are very much aware of what to do when voting for the candidate of their choice.”
