The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has reacted to the withdrawal of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from the recent endorsement of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the consensus candidate for 2019 presidential election.
SDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Mohammed Alfa, had last week said the party already has a candidate, Mr Donald Duke whose name had been submitted to INEC for the 2019 election.
Reacting, however, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, CUPP 1st National Spokesperson described the withdrawal of the SDP as inconsequential.
He insisted that the development would not in any way affect the chances of Atiku Abubakar becoming the next president of Nigeria .
Ugochinyere made this assertion in a statement issued on Tuesday and forwarded to DAILY POST.
The statement read:
“Our attention been drawn to the statement of SDP announcing their withdrawal from the Coalition.
“CUPP wishes to state that the pulling out of the coalition by SDP is a failed attempt to help the dwindling electoral fortunes of President Buhari.
“It must be noted that SDP, before the recent withdrawal, was a member of the Steering and Selection committees of the CUPP and was represented by Dr. Olu Agunloye where the final decision was taken. So the SDP also fully participated in all the selection processes.
“It is in record that SDP was in the coalition when the CUPP template was drafted. It is therefore surprising for SDP to pull out of the coalition at this point.
“Let it also be known that the SDP’s anger over the loss of the Vice Presidential slot of the coalition is not attainable. This is because Section 142 of the 1999 constitution says the President and Vice President must be from the same political party. The pull out of SDP after they have voted and a consensus reached, is baseless and does not show the spirit of nationalism.
“The coalition is however, waxing stronger even with the pulling out of SDP as 5 more political parties have joined the coalition. We at the coalition are not disturbed as the SDP candidate does not have clout and electoral value to challenge the coalition candidate.
We hereby urge Nigerians to remain steadfast and unflinching in their support for the coalition as the state of the union of the coalition is strong and victory is assured.”
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