By Ahmed Abdulai
The National Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, has restrained party members from attending Professor Jerry Gana’s political campaign, which kicked off on Saturday.
He also appealed to members to remain loyal and calm as efforts were on to resolve the controversy of the presidential candidacy of the party.
It could be recalled that controversy continued to trail the presidential candidacy of the SDP following a court order restraining Donald Duke from parading himself as the presidential candidate of the party.
Gana had obtained a court judgment against the party confirming him as the presidential candidate of the party in the 2019 general elections, a development that has plunged the party into crisis, leading to court processes ongoing.
But the national chairman, in Bauchi on Friday, called on the leadership of the party not to attend the event put in place by Gana to unveil his presidential campaign vision.
Falae stated: “The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, CFR, GCON has received a letter dated December 27, 2018 from Professor Jerry Gana, seeking “leave of the National Chairman ” to “unveil the vision and programme” of his Presidential Campaign and, inviting him as “Chief Host” at both the “unveiling” on Saturday December 29, 2018 and at the “Summit of Stakeholders” which he is planning for Saturday January 5 , 2019.
“Earlier correspondence from Prof. Jerry Gana makes it clear that he is basing these proposals on the judgement of the FCT High Court dated 14th December 2018.
“The Counsel of all the five defendants in the case (including our party – SDP), Wole Olanipekun & Co, has already appealed to the Court of Appeal against that judgement.
“We have also, through our Counsel, filed a motion at the Court of Appeal, praying for certain reliefs including stay of execution of the judgement of the High Court and injunctive reliefs against Prof Jerry Gana, pending the determination of the Appeal.
“All the relevant processes have been served on Prof Jerry Gana’s Counsel. In the light of the foregoing, we cannot and should not attend any of the events being scheduled by Prof Jerry Gana and his Campaign Committee as it will amount to a breach of the court process and may amount to contempt of Court. “I appeal to all party officials at all levels, leaders and members to stay calm and refrain from participating in actions designed to pre-empt the courts. We must remain loyal to the party, which is more important than any of us. We are All One Party and We are All United.”