The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accepted the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of the Saturday presidential election results.
Shehu Gabam, the Party’s National Chairman, stated this at a news conference on the outcome of the presidential election on Thursday in Abuja.
Despite the difficulties encountered during the election, Gabam stated that the SDP supported INEC’s declaration of Sen. Bola Tinubu as the president-elect.
He acknowledged that the election had challenges, such as the use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the uploading of election results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
He therefore advised candidates and other aggrieved parties on the outcome of the election to seek redress peacefully and legally.
He commended INEC, under the leadership of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for pulling through in the face of all odds, urging it to perfect its system before the March 11 governorship and house of assembly elections.
“The election has been won and lost, what is right in the true interest of our country, is for all grievances to be addressed through the appropriate channels and very responsibly.
“Our party believes strongly in the nation’s judicial system as capable of addressing the various issues from the elections, concerns expressed, and for it to always do the needful.
“We also note that democratic consolidation for national unity and sustainable growth and development is the imperative of the times.
“The SDP call on the political class and the general public to eschew violence in their actions and pronouncements.
“They should in practical terms and manifestly, work for peace and social order in the larger interest of our country.”
Gabam advised the judiciary to be fair to all political parties and candidates that would be seeking redress on the election.
“They have the responsibility to prove to the world and Nigerians that they would be fair and just to all parties.
“Our law must work irrespective of whoever is involved,”Gabam said.
He congratulated the president-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu on his victory, urging him to take deliberate and practical steps to bring other candidates as well as other aggrieved parties on board in his administration.
“Bring the country together through a government of national unity to fix our obvious national cracks, address the failings, heal the land and fast-track the process of national reconciliation.
He appreciated the media for their objective reportage before, during and after the elections.
Gabam commended the performance of the party’s presidential and national assembly candidates and appreciated Nigerians for trusting the party with their votes.
He said that the party came sixth in the presidential election, and won two senatorial and four House of Representatives seats.
He said that, while the party would not challenge the presidential election in court, it would however challenge the national assembly elections in places it believed the SDP won.
He pledged the party’s continued support for its candidates in the state elections, expressing the confidence that SDP would win some governorship and state Houses of Assembly seats.
Gabam said that SDP was not party to any protests on the 2023 general elections and has not issued any directives in that respect because it believes in the peace and oneness of Nigeria.
“However, every party has the right to protest, but we are not party to any protest,”Gabam said.(NAN)
