Professor Sadiq Gombe, the national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has no role authenticating Nigeria’s political parties’ leadership.

Gombe disclosed on Tuesday after INEC’s consultative meeting with party leaders across the country.

He noted that linking the party’s leadership dispute to the electoral body’s portal was misplaced.

“The issue of party leadership is an exclusive preserve of the political party to decide on its leadership. The Supreme Court has separately ruled in this respect. So it’s not about the INEC portal. The INEC portal doesn’t determine who is chairman of a political party,” the party stated.

The SDP also defended the expulsion of some members, including Shehu Musa Gaban, saying the action followed due process and was approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“This expulsion followed due process through the NEC and a disciplinary committee where they were given a fair hearing,” the party said.

According to the party, the affected members failed to take advantage of internal appeal mechanisms provided in its constitution.

“Neither Shehu Gabam, Ogechukwu, nor the others followed due process of the party constitution to appeal their expulsion or suspension. Neither did they go to any court of competent jurisdiction to set aside that expulsion,” Gambe added.

The SDP chairman expressed confidence that INEC would act in line with the law after reviewing documents related to the dispute.

“We are confident in the ability of INEC to do the needful. We are not doubting their competence and commitment to the rule of law and to the independence of political parties, particularly as it affects their internal affairs,”

It further disclosed that it had submitted certified copies of the Supreme Court judgment and NEC report to support its position.

The party welcomed the assurances given by the INEC chairman regarding the commission’s commitment to the rule of law and respect for the internal affairs of political parties.

“We are happy that the INEC chairman reiterated their commitment to the rule of law, their commitment to respecting parties irrespective of their internal affairs,” the SDP said.

The development comes as SDP’s former chairman still lay claim on controlling the party’s leadership.

The Federal Government says the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was among the political leaders who agreed to the adoption of rotational presidency in Nigeria following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, made this known on Tuesday at a World Press Conference held in Abuja as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day Anniversary.

Akume described the agreement as a tough but necessary decision to preserve national unity.

Akume’s Media and Publicity Adviser, Yomi Odunuga, in a statement, said the SGF recalled that leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP met in Kaduna under the leadership of the late Chief Solomon Lar and Alhaji Adamu Ciroma to deliberate on the way forward after the annulment, with power shift and the party’s presidential candidature featuring prominently on the agenda.

“It was a tough argument before the issue of rotational presidency was agreed on. At the end, we had to concede. We must do this. June 12 annulment had complicated the whole thing.

“It was finally agreed that we’ll be alternating between North and South. Atiku was one of the leaders at that meeting, which was convened by Chief Solomon Lar. He was part of that agreement,” Akume stated.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Dele Momodu, has disclosed that the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, believes that he’s the only messiah that can save Nigeria.

Momodu disclosed this while noting that Obi can’t control his followers.

In an interview on Symfoni TV, the former presidential candidate said: “Peter Obi believes and he has convinced himself and his supporters believe that he’s the only messiah that can save Nigeria.

“I told him to please lead your supporters and don’t let your supporters become your leader.

“I knew that he viewed them with repudiation, Peter can’t control his followers and even those who can’t give him 10 votes kept threatening that if you agree to be VP we are not going to follow you and we are going to disown you. This is a democracy.”

Momodu noted that Obi believed that Kwankwaso is a perfect match for him as running mate.

He added: “Let me tell you the final one, by the time he finally got another good friend of mine, Kwankwaso to agree to be his running mate, the same Kwankwaso who said during the last election that he can’t be subordinate to Peter which he said on video and is on record, Peter believes that this is a perfect match.

“I went to check the records, how well did Kwankwaso do across Nigeria, he recorded over one million votes overall and 900,000 which came from Kano.

“So Atiku came second in that election, Peter came third, and Kwankwaso came fourth, so why do you want to reinvent the will? Match Atiku’s 6.9 million plus your own 6.1 million, you will handsomely have about 13 million votes.”