Adewole Adebayo has emerged as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

Mr Adebayo scored 1,526 votes at the party’s national convention on Wednesday in Abuja to emerge as the party standard bearer, defeating the only co-contestant, Khadija Lamidi who polled 83 votes.

The convention returning officer, Umar Ardo, put the total votes cast at1,653, valid votes 1,609, while invalid votes were 44.

In his acceptance speech, 54-year-old Adebayo, a lawyer and founder of KAFTAN Television said with his emergence it was the turn of Nigerian masses to take over power in 2023.

He explained that it was the turn of Nigerians without food, who graduated without work or hindered from graduating because of strikes to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Mr Adebayo pledged that the SDP would give the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a “good fight” in the 2023 general elections.

“We will campaign to every household, every polling unit, every ward, every local government, every state, every zone and the entire country. We will come out and show to Nigerians that food, water, electricity, housing, education  and medical care are not prayer points,” Mr Adebayo promised.

The presidential candidate urged Nigerians to join the SDP, register with INEC to vote, open their minds, tell others about SDP and vote out bad leaders in 2023.

He commended other contestants and the delegates. Mr Adebayo added that SDP demonstrated that a party could conduct credible convention and that politicians could subdue their personal interest for national development.

SDP national chairman Shehu Gabam encouraged those who participated in the election to be part of the campaign ahead.

He said the party would change the face of governance in Nigeria, if given a chance to rule in 2023. Mr Gabam also stated that the party considered it expedient to present itself to Nigerians as a veritable alternative, advocating a new initiative in the administration of the country.

(NAN)