Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has embarked on a major re-organisation in the hierarchy of its leadership with the ratification of its former National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gabam as the National Chairman.
As part of the reorganisation, the SDP adopted its former National Chairman, Dr. Olu Agunloye as the National Secretary, a position that Gabam was occupying before he emerged the party’s national chairman on Saturday.
This was revealed in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Rufus Aiyenigba, noting that the National Working Committee (NWC) had resolved to the position in the South to the North and those in the North to the South.
In his statement, Aiyenigba said the resolution of SDP-NWC “has moved the positions in the south to north and north to the south respectively, thereby effecting the change of the leadership of the party ahead of the 2023 general election.”
He said the National Secretary, Shehu Gaban who hails from Bauchi State, North-East who was the National Secretary of the party, “is now appointed as the new national chairman.
“While Dr. Olu Agunloye, who comes from Ondo state, South-west and held the office of the National Chairman, is now appointed as the new National Secretary of SDP,” the national publicity secretary.
“The two new appointments of National Chairman and secretary, respectively, were done by a motion moved by Hon. Chukwuma Ogbonna Uchechukwu, National speaker, youth parliament (National Youth Leader) and was seconded by Maggie Batubo, the National Speaker women parliament (National women Leader).
“The motion was unanimously adopted by all the members of the National Working Committee. The reshuffling of the two offices that had been duly communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission was properly received and acknowledged by the electoral umpire.
“Consequent to this change of National Leadership Of the party, members of the SDP family nationwide and the general public are hereby called upon to take note of this new development in the party.”
He said the change in the national leadership of the party “is part of the process of gearing up for the realities and responsibilities of the 2023 general election as well as repositioning the party properly as a credible alternative national platform to rescue Nigeria from the current socio-economic challenges and National maladies and to present a new hope for freedom, justice, all-round security and sustainable development.”
