No fewer than 100 members and supporters of the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, in Delta State, have dumped the party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its gubernatorial candidate, His Excellency, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi OON, FNIM, ahead of the general election.
They alleged a reign of impunity as their reason for defecting to the SDP in order to join hands with Gbagi, a former minister of state for education to develop the State.
The defectors, led by Felix Galasi, stormed Sapele Atlantic Club, Venue of SDP Rally in Sapele local government area on Saturday January 4th 2023, to express their support for SDP and Gbagi, the party’s standard bearer.
Pitching tent with Gbagi and SDP, Galasi, said they had already collapsed AAC structures with most of the party’s exco members following them.
According to him, the decision to collapse AAC structures and join Gbagi, a former Chairman, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and SDP was because the AAC lacks internal democracy.
He maintained that there are strong indications that the party will lose all contestable positions at the state and national levels in the 2023 general elections.
While welcoming the defectors, the National Vice Chairman of the party South-south, Elder Fred Owotorofa, expressed happiness and commended them on their wise decision to join SDP.
He assured them of equal treatment and opportunities in the party just as he urged them to continue to be law-abiding as well as convince more people to join the winning party.
“You have taken a wise decision to move from where you have been to where you should be. You have moved from the African Action Congress by the declaration of your leader to SDP.
“On behalf of the National chairman of the SDP, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, I welcome you all and admit you into the Delta State chapter of SDP on this day 4th of February 2023.
“From this moment and by the fact of this declaration, I declare you fully integrated into the SDP family. You have equal rights and privileges of every other members of Social Democratic Party”.
The former AAC decampees, received membership cards of SDP as they were charged to fill them and serve the party loyally “and work for the success of the party at all levels. You are welcome and God bless you”, Owotorofa declared.
