2019: UPN quits Ogun governorship race, backs SDP candidate

The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has resolved not to contest in the 2019 governorship election in Ogun State.

Instead, the party said it will support the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Rotimi Paseda, in the election.

UPN chairman in the state, Aminat Olatunbosun, disclosed this on Friday at a press conference at Iwe-Iroyin Press Centre, Abeokuta.

Mrs Olatunbosun said after an assessment all the opposition governorship candidates in the state, her party found the SDP candidate best.

She said the party found the manifesto of the SDP “in line with our party ideology and philosophy of our founder, the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of providing free education and qualitative healthcare system for the citizens.”

Mrs Olatunbosun recalled that Mr Paseda was the governorship candidate of UPN in the state in 2015 “and he made good impression of himself by coming fourth in that election in less than six months of his joining our party.

‘Ever since then, he has remained committed financially to our party and single-handedly sponsored all the 120 councillorship candidates of our party in 2016 local government elections that broke the political culture by producing two councilors despite the election being characterised with violence and manipulation.

“In view of the above, we are glad to accept his decision to cease to be UPN member and wish him well in his new platform. Today, we the members of UPN in Ogun State hereby ADOPT the SDP Governorship candidate as our candidate for the Governorship election in the state.

“Let it be on record that we have not collapsed our structure or decamped to SDP, UPN remains intact in the state. I therefore on behalf of all the 55, 230 registered members of our party declare our unflinching support for his gubernatorial ambition come 2019.”

Mrs Olatunbosun called on other “progressive elements and political parties” in the state to join hands in endorsing Mr Paseda “as the next Governor of Ogun State.”

UPN said it will only feature candidates for the House of Assembly elections “to allow us focus and channel our machineries to occupy the State Assembly in order to bring governance to the doorstep of the downtrodden in the state through robust legislature.”