The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has accepted the official results of the 2023 presidential election as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which was won by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Addressing journalists on Thursday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja its national chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, said that the decision was taken by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party after the general review of the presidential election.
While urging aggrieved political parties to approach the court of law to seek redress as law abiding citizens rather than over-heating the system, he said, “the INEC as an institution vested with power has declared a winner (presidential election); we in SDP, despite the shortfalls such as BVAS problem, transmission problem and others, we stand by the declaration pending the outcome of the court judgement.”
Gabam who was flanked by members of the NWC of the party, however, hinted that the party would be challenging the results of some senatorial and federal constituencies of the National Assembly as announced by INEC after the ongoing collation of the necessary facts on the conduct of the polls.
According to him, “We need to keep Nigeria one. God has not created any perfection anywhere. Therefore we are standing by INEC. On this ground we are standing by what INEC has done but we are going to challenge the results of some senatorial and federal constituencies of the National Assembly after we must collated our facts.”
He however commended INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu for conducting the elections despite the overwhelming challenges posed by both technology and human factors.
According to him, “We commend the INEC under the leadership of distinguish Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for the successful conduct of Saturday elections in the face of all odds. The election has been won and lost. Going forward, therefore, and what is right in the true interest of our country is for all grievances to be expressed through the appropriate channels and very responsibly. Our party believes in the nation’s justice system as capable of addressing the various concerns expressed, and for it to always do justice.”
While speaking on the need to ensure peace, he said “We also note that democratic consolidation for national unity and sustainable growth and development is imperative of the times. As such, the SDP calls on the political class and the general public to eschew violence in their actions and pronouncements, and to, in practical terms and manifest, work for peace and social order in the larger interest of our country.”
