The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken disciplinary action against Prof. Jerry Gana, its presidential candidate, Mr. Donald Duke and the acting national chairman, Mr. Supo Shonibare.
The party’s director of publicity, Mr. Yemi Akinbode announced at a media briefing in Abuja yesterday that Gana and Shonibare had been expelled with immediate effect while Duke was suspended for disrespecting the party.
He explained that Gana and Akinbode were expelled for engaging in anti-party activities.
While Shonibare was accused of being the arrowhead of a splinter group, Gana was accused of setting up a parallel national executive committee within the party.
It would be recalled that both Gana and Duke had been fighting for the right to represent SDP in the February 16 poll.
The party had declared Duke as the winner of a primary election held on October 16, 2018, and its flag bearer for the 2019 presidential election.
SDP said Duke polled 812 votes, while Gana had 611.
Gana went to court seeking to be declared the winner in line with the zoning and rotation formula of the party’s constitution.
But an FCT High Court in Maitama on December 14, 2018 voided Dukes election as the presidential candidate of the part and declared Gana as the winner.
Duke appealed the ruling and on January 24, the Court of Appeal gave judgement in his favour.
The three-man panel presided over by Justice Adamu Jauro held that Gana’s position in section 18 of the party’s amended constitution contravenes the electoral acts stipulation for the validity of a candidate in any election.
The court also held that the amendment relied upon by Gana did not take effect until October 8, 2018, two days after its ratification and the election of Duke as the party’s candidate was in line with section 222 of the electoral act.
