The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has explained that its decision to relocate its forthcoming National Convention from Abuja to Bauchi was due to challenges in securing a suitable venue in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The National Chairman of the party, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, disclosed this while addressing party stakeholders at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja ahead of the convention scheduled for Saturday.
Gombe said several attempts to obtain a venue in Abuja proved unsuccessful, necessitating the relocation of the event to Bauchi State. He, however, expressed appreciation to the Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Mohammed, for providing a venue for the convention despite not being a member of the SDP.
“Given the difficulties in securing a venue in Abuja, we had no option but to move the convention to Bauchi.
Constitutionally, the convention can be held anywhere in the country,” he said.
He added that neither the party’s constitution nor the Electoral Act restricts political parties from holding their conventions outside the nation’s capital.
The SDP chairman reaffirmed the party’s commitment to conducting a transparent and credible convention, noting that extensive preparations have been made to ensure a smooth exercise.
According to him, over 400 committees have been constituted, including the Screening, Electoral, and Convention Committees, as well as several sub-committees, each assigned specific responsibilities.
Gombe further disclosed that the screening of aspirants would take place at the party’s conference hall at the National Secretariat, which serves as its registered office with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He explained that the screening exercise would cover all categories of aspirants, including those contesting for the presidency, governorship positions across the 36 states, National Assembly seats, and State Houses of Assembly.
The party, he said, is determined to field candidates in all constituencies nationwide, signalling its readiness for the forthcoming general elections.
Gombe also urged aspirants and party members to remain peaceful and abide by the rules guiding the process, assuring that the exercise would be conducted in line with established guidelines.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Screening Committee, Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Abubakar Lima (retd), commended committee members for their commitment and stressed the need for diligence and integrity in carrying out their responsibilities.
He noted that despite varying levels of familiarity among members, the committee must adhere strictly to laid-down guidelines to ensure a credible screening process.
