By Henry Umoru

Abuja – The national leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has disassociated itself from a group known as the Alliance for Transformation Mandate (ATM), stating that the group is unknown to the party and does not represent its interests.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the SDP condemned the group’s recent “World Press Conference,” where its members claimed to be “footsoldiers” of the SDP.

“The attention of the national leadership of our great party, the SDP, has been drawn to a ‘World Press Conference’ by a group named Alliance for Transformation Mandate (ATM), which described its members as ‘footsoldiers’ for the Social Democratic Party,” the statement read.

“The general public and our members nationwide are hereby informed that this obviously sponsored group was assembled to serve the personal interests of its backers. It is not recognized by the party, and any pronouncements it has made concerning any party leader should be considered null and void.”

Aiyenigba emphasized that only the National Chairman and the National Publicity Secretary are constitutionally authorized to speak on behalf of the party on matters affecting it.

He reiterated the SDP’s commitment to discipline, structure, and democratic values, and reaffirmed the party’s support for its 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

“The national leadership and the generality of SDP members recognize Prince Adewole Adebayo as the best candidate in the last presidential election. He has excellently represented the ideology of the party during and after the 2023 elections. There is no conflict between the party and Prince Adebayo. In fact, we express a vote of confidence in his capacity and leadership,” the statement continued.

The SDP advised the public to disregard statements made by ATM, branding the group as fictitious and unauthorized.

“The national leadership emphatically declares the ‘ATM’ as an unknown group to the party and urges Nigerians to be rightly guided,” Aiyenigba concluded.