The national leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has distanced itself from a group known as the Alliance for Transformation Mandate (ATM), describing the organization as unauthorized, unknown, and unrelated to the party.
In a statement issued on Friday by the SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the party said its attention was drawn to a world press conference recently held by ATM, during which the group described itself as “footsoldiers” for the SDP.
“Members of the SDP across the nation, and the general public are hereby informed that the obviously sponsored group, put together to serve the personal agenda of their sponsors, is not known to the party,” the statement said.
“Therefore, whatever pronouncements they have made about any of the leaders lack authority.”
The SDP urged Nigerians to disregard the group and dismiss its statements as inconsequential, stressing that only the National Chairman and the National Publicity Secretary are constitutionally empowered to speak on behalf of the party on issues affecting its operations or leadership.
Reaffirming its commitment to democratic values and internal discipline, the SDP reiterated its support for Adewole Adebayo, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, praising his representation of the party’s ideology during and after the elections.
“The national leadership and the generality of SDP members reckon with the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, as the best candidate in the last election,” the statement said, adding that the party expresses a vote of confidence in his capacity and leadership.
The SDP emphasized that all official party positions will be communicated only through its authorized channels, warning against fictitious groups attempting to mislead the public or hijack the party’s voice.
“The public is hereby informed that the national leadership of the SDP emphatically declares the ‘ATM’ as an unknown group to the party and advises all to be rightly guided,” the statement concluded.
