The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of targeting Prince Adebayo Adewole, its (SDP) presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
Addressing the press in Abuja on Friday, the Director-General of the SDP Presidential Campaign Council and former Minister, Solomon Dalung, also described President Muhammadu Buhari as the number one victim of kidnap because Nigerians can no longer have access to their President.
The SDP, which is one of the oldest political parties in the country, also called on Nigerians to vote for integrity and purposeful leadership come 2023.
SDP warned of an alleged attempt to intimidate other presidential candidates who are not of the major political parties and are making waves with issues-based campaigns.
Dalung, who was a minister of sports and youth development in the first tenure of President Buhari, lamented that the ruling party is currently generating documents as well as trying to use the police to intimidate Adebayo.
The former minister said his party was concluding plans to file a legal action against the APC, warning the Buhari-led administration against any move to truncate the transition of power in 2023.
He also asked President Buhari to stop narrowing the political space to favour the APC, insisting that whatever favour the presidency does for the APC presidential, such as the use of the Presidential Jet for campaign purposes, should also be extended to all other candidates.
”The days of hypocrisy and fake promises have gone. SDP has offered ourselves for scrutiny. Others should also come out and face Nigerians. 2023 is too critical for the unity of this country. Nigerians cannot afford that mistake again,” he said.
Speaking further, the minister said “The president, today is the number one victim of kidnap because Nigerians cannot see him.
“The man who was available during the campaign and shaking hands and dancing with Nigerians, today they are all victims of kidnap, political bandits have kidnapped them.
“You can not see or access them, people pay ransom to see them. That is not the presidency that we are looking for.”
