SDP Collapses Northeast Structure, Endorses Atiku, Fintiri

Three days before the presidential election in Nigeria, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has collapsed its northeast structure into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared support for its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

SDP also declared support for the governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who is seeking re-election.

Leading the defection, northeast zonal chairman of the party, Danjuma Chikel said the party took the decision after a thorough assessment of the chances of their own candidates across the northeast region in the forthcoming general elections.

In Adamawa, 22 out of 34 Working Committee members of the party and 17 out of the 21 local government chairmen dumped the SDP during a meeting with Governor Fintiri on Tuesday in Yola, the state capital.

Leader of the delegation, Danjuma Chikel, who is the Vice Chairman of the Northern Zone of the SDP, decried the difficulty imposed on the masses by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration and restated their decision to work for the victory of Atiku as President.

“We have decided to join the winning team by collapsing our structures to support Atiku Abubakar and Governor Fintiri,” Chikel said.

He said the defectors will mobilise massively for the victory of all PDP candidates, urging his followers to enlighten their supporters in the grassroots to vote for the party and not the SDP.

Responding, Governor Fintiri thanked the defectors for taking a bold decision in the interest of the country and the state, assuring them that they will not regret it.

He frowned on the challenges bedevilling the country at the moment, saying the Atiku project should be for the good of the country.

He called on the defectors to come out en masse on February 25 to vote for all PDP candidates.