By Peter Adelowo
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has denied reports alleging its withdrawal from the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, insisting that its candidate remains firmly in the race.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the SDP described the withdrawal report as false, fabricated and orchestrated by political opponents to mislead voters.
The party reaffirmed that its governorship candidate, Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade, remains the validly nominated candidate recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that his participation in the signing of the INEC Peace Accord further confirms his status on the ballot.
According to the party, the rumour of withdrawal is the handiwork of impostors and political agents allegedly working in the interest of the ruling APC, with the aim of creating confusion ahead of the poll.
The SDP also accused INEC of frustrating its participation by refusing to open its portal for the upload of the party’s polling unit agents, despite having issued access codes to the party’s national secretariat.
The party described the action as a serious threat to the credibility of the election, warning that denying a major opposition party the opportunity to deploy agents amounts to disenfranchisement and raises concerns about the transparency of the process.
SDP maintained that it will participate fully in the election and urged its supporters across Ekiti State to disregard false information and remain committed to the democratic process.
The party said it remains a credible alternative for good governance and sustainable development in Ekiti State, pledging to continue advocating for free, fair and credible elections across Nigeria.
