The national leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dissociated itself from a group, Alliance for Transformation Mandate (ATM), saying the two have nothing in common.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, on Friday said its attention had been drawn to a world press conference by the ATM, which described its members as foot soldiers for the SDP.

Part of the statement read: “Members of the SDP across the nation, and the general public are hereby informed that the obviously sponsored group put together to serve the personal agenda of their sponsors, is not known to the party, and therefore, whatever pronouncement they have made about any of the leaders lacks authority. 

“The group should, therefore, be ignored by Nigerians, and their statements dismissed as inconsequential.

“It is only the national chairman of the party and national publicity secretary as spokesperson, who are authorised by the constitution of the SDP to speak for the party on any matter that affects it.

“The SDP is a disciplined, well-structured and truly democratic institution in form and operations, and all its leaders and members reserve the right of expression and freedom to hold  personal views and opinions.

“The national leadership and the generality of SDP members reckon with the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general  election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, as the best candidate in the last election, and he has excellently represented the ideology of the party in all his outings during and after the 2023 election. 

“It should be noted that the party is not in any form of conflict with him and it expresses a vote of confidence in him and his capacity.

“The SDP will always speak on topical issues that affect the party when necessary and that will be done through the appropriate and authorised channels, not through fictitious groups.

“The public is hereby informed that the national leadership of the SDP emphatically declares the ‘ATM’ as an unknown group to the party and is advised to be rightly guided.”

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