SDP collapses structure into Labour Party, declare support for Peter Obi

The Benue State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has collapsed its structure into the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The alliance is coming on the heels that the party (SDP) may not be able to produce elective candidates for the forthcoming general elections due to internal wranglings in the party at the national level.

Chairman of SDP in the state, John Enemari stated this on Monday during a news conference when he led the leadership of the party to Makurdi.

He said that the party in the state had directed all party chairmen, its executives at the 276 wards and 23 local government areas to support the Labour Party for good governance to revamp the socio-economic fortunes of the people in Benue State.

While decrying the internal crisis at the party national level, Enemari said that the crisis at the national level had destabilised the party in all the states of the federation.

He said, “The man that is coming is a young man that has done very well in its constituency, this is, his fourth time at the National Assembly, House of Representatives, once you mention his name they will tell you, they know him. My people are calling me, chairman, where do you want us to go, I said look, wait, I met with him and we spoke, so my people we are going to work with him (Rt Hon Herman Hembe).

“We cannot continue to suffer for them at the national office, national office reaped closed to N100 million from Benue SDP, in 2018 but not even one kobo was sent to us to work for the party and by the party constitution we were supposed to get not less than N75 million from the sales of forms in accordance with party constitution of section 72(2), but these people in Abuja sat on it.

“In a party if you don’t win an election, what do you do. Now they are in court, let them continue, Benue is not a revenue-yielding state for them. Benue now needs good governance we cannot remain idle, we must work with those with integrity to deliver the state.

The SDP boss noted that the state leadership had consulted with other parties like the APC, and PDP but said that it didn’t work out.

“Since we did not have a governorship candidate we have decided to give our full support and to ensure Labour Party wins in Benue State and salvage the state from the infrastructural deficit and failed promises.

However, the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Heman Hembe expressed happiness with the alliance.