We will be cautious of those we accept to our party – SDP national chairman

Acting National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Supo Shonibare says the party will be careful on the kind of defectors it receives into its fold in the course of the 2023 general election.

While speaking with journalists on Thursday, he said the party would not be an “opportunistic vehicle” for any one who has lost out in their parties to come to.

Reacting on reported plans by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to join SDP if he fails to get the APC presidential ticket, Shonibare said the party will follow due process before he can be accepted.

“The issue of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the last time I checked, he is not a member of the Social Democratic Party. I checked the membership list of our party as INEC has required, and which has been submitted by our state chapters to us in Abuja, and his name is not on the list of those who are members of our party in Lagos state,” he said.

“The party won’t be an opportunistic vehicle. Definitely, in instances where we’ve seen great injustice to an individual who we feel that the individual is not coming to us with baggage, yes, that individual will be welcomed to our party.

“But we won’t welcome anyone who we feel has a case pending in court. We won’t welcome anyone who we feel has been convicted, even if the person is actually now appealing that conviction.

“So, we will try to ensure that those who we will welcome into our party, are men and women of integrity, and make SDP be a succour for those who have been wrongly dealt with in their political parties, provided those who are coming have displayed integrity and honour in the way and manner they have conducted themselves in government.

“We want SDP to be an exemplary political vehicle, that when people look at those who are leading and those who are elected or those who are our candidates, they’ll see those who have displayed integrity, honour, and prudent management of our public resources when they were placed in a position to superintend over our resources.

“If he (Tinubu) wants to join, then the party has to make a determination whether the way and manner he’s actually managed the resources of the state from where he started is consistent with the profile of the integrity that we said needs to be displayed by anyone that is coming to us.

“Remember, I said we will welcome anyone who is not with us now, who feels they have been cheated in their political party. But then, in that process, we will look at that particular individual at that time.”