The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has listed conditions to allow aggrieved presidential aspirants of various political parties to contest the 2023 Presidency on its platform.
There have been speculations that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirants are planning to join the SDP in the coming days.
It was learned that Tinubu and the PDP presidential hopefuls might defect to the SDP if they fail to secure their parties’ presidential tickets.
In an interview with reporters on Saturday during the party’s congress in Lagos, acting National Chairman of the SDP, Chief Supo Shonibare, said the party will not be an alternative platform for any corrupt presidential hopefuls.
Sonibare said while the party welcomes any aspirant who wants to join its fold, such politician must have integrity and free of corruption or scandal.
He added that the SDP will not be a vehicle for opportunistic individuals who have been part of the problem of Nigeria.
Sonibare noted that the opposition party will only accept aspirants with high integrity in APC and PDP respectively.
He said, “The party is available for members of political parties who feel that they have been unjustly treated in their present party, but we will not be a vehicle for opportunistic individuals who in our own judgement think have been part of the problem of Nigeria.
“SDP cannot be a clone of PDP or APC, in that case why are we offering ourselves as alternatives.
“We won’t welcome people who have been convicted even if they say they are appealing against the conviction, we won’t welcome people with pending cases even if the case has not been determined.
“If, prima facie, we look at their matter and we see that there are allegations against them that are waiting, because we have a committee consisting of lawyers, if they look at the allegations, particularly when the charge has been proffered, and the person has not been convicted, we will not wish to push people like that as our flag bearers in the face of indictment.”
He said the chances of the party are extremely high in the coming elections based on the poor performance of both APC and PDP in their over 20 years of leadership.
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