The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has withdrawn its participation from the local government election scheduled for Saturday in Ondo State.
The only member of the party in the National Assembly and member representing Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency, Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye made this known in a statement released on Thursday.
Adefisoye said he withdrew from the race basically to avoid violence and bloodshed and to ensure the lives and properties of the good people of Idanre.
The statement which was titled ‘Withdrawal of Participation From Local Government Election’ reads,
“In spite of the ongoing violence in Idanre ahead of the Local Government election that is scheduled for Saturday, the imminent overwhelming victory of SDP in the election is still not in doubt. But I found it very disturbing how the people behind the ongoing violence in Idanre would ever allow us to achieve victory without resorting to further killings and destruction of properties.
“However, after weighing all the available options, I found the lives and properties of my constituents far more important to me than any electoral victory. Also, my style of politics is strictly devoid of doing or die and the need to put an immediate stop to the ongoing violence in Idanre has continued to be of serious concern to me. I am therefore truly determined to put a stop to the recurring massacre and bloodshed in idanre and no sacrifice can ever be too much on my part to make for this to be achieved.
“The game plan of these opposition leaders is to provoke us to a point of retaliation so as to reenact 1983 violence in Idanre. We will rather sue for peace than allow burning of houses and people in Idanre. We have however taken solace in the fact that posterity and the good people of Idanre shall appropriately judge all the opposition leaders that have brought needless violence to our town.
“In view of the above, I have decided to completely withdraw my participation from the entire process of the local government election in Idanre and Ondo State at large. All candidates of SDP in the election are also enjoined to withdraw from the process in the interest of peace”.
