The National Legal Adviser of the Action Democratic Party and former governorship candidate of the party in Kogi State, Barr. Abdulrahman Tanko has led about 10, 000 other teeming supporters to dump the party for the Social Democratic Party, SDP.
Addressing leaders and loyalists of the party at a colourful ceremony at the state secretariat of the party in Lokoja, Barr. Tanko said the decision to dump his former party has become imperative, in view of the concerted efforts being made to pull Kogi State out of doldrums.
He stressed the need for the people of the state to pull resources together in another platform, in taking the state to higher heights, in view of the failure of both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, to address the basic needs of the downtrodden.
Tanko, who was a one-time minority leader of the state House of Assembly, further decried the ongoing carnage through banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other violent killings across the country, urging the Buhari led administration to take decisive steps to stop the ugly trend.
According to him, the current blood letting, if not completely halted, was capable of frustrating the conduct of a hitch free general elections next year, and enjoined Nigerians to fully cooperate with the government and the law enforcement agencies, in tackling the ugly trend.
While calling on the electoral umpire, INEC to be alive to its responsibilities by ensuring that the will of the electorates prevail in the next general elections, Barr. Tanko, maintained that it is not enough for the electoates to fully participate in the exercises, but must ensure that their votes count.
He commended the National Assembly for the recent amendments in the electoral act, stressing that such positive development would go a long way in deepening our democracy in the country.
The legal practitioner however called on Nigerians not to rest on their oars until all forms of manipulations and other violence are completely eliminated from our electoral system, to pave way for speedy development and good governance in the country.
The state chairman of SDP, Hon. Moses Peter, while welcoming Barr. Tanko into the party, described the development as a turn around for the party in particular and the state in general.
He enjoined the teeming supporters and loyalists of the party to remained committed and steadfast, noting that the quest to emancipate Kogi State is a task that must be done.