No fewer than 1,500 members of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress have decamped to the Social Democratic Party in Niger State.
The Chairman of the SDP in the state, Mohammed Alfa, made this known in Minna when the party presented flags to its candidates for the forthcoming general election.
Alfa said the number of defectors have made SDP a third force to be reckoned with in terms of membership and followership in the state.
According to him: “We in SDP have received over 1,500 decampees to our fold from the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress.
“This means we are the third largest political party in the state.
“In terms of candidates fielded for the February elections, we are the third force politically, having fielded 26 candidates that are seeking for various political offices both at national and state level.
“We have fielded 15 candidates for state House of Assembly, eight for House of Representatives, three for Senate and for governorship.
“If my party is elected into office, priority would be accorded to integrated rural development, quality healthcare.”
In his address, the National Chairman of the party, Olu Falae, who spoke through the National Woman Leader, Maryam Batubo, appealed to the women folk to accord maximum support to all candidates, particularly the gubernatorial candidate in the state and the only female in the race.
Falae added that the appeal for support for the only female gubernatorial candidate was an attempt to take over power from men but a way of ensuring that all sexes are given equal opportunity to contribute their quota.
Accordingly, he said: “We are calling on women in the state to support and canvass same for the gubernatorial candidate.
“We are also appealing to men to allow their wives to vote for one of their own in the forthcoming general election.”