The Social Democratic Party has said its manifesto for the 2027 general elections is ready and will be unveiled within days, with the opposition party promising women 50 per cent representation in appointments and party organisations.
The SDP National Chairman, Sadiq Gombe, disclosed this on Thursday at the national conference of the party’s women leaders held at its secretariat in Abuja.
Gombe, who was represented at the event by the SDP South-South Deputy Chairman, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, said the party was being reorganised ahead of the 2027 elections and promised greater inclusion of women in its activities and appointments.
He said the party was determined to give women equal opportunities, stressing that its manifesto would provide for a 50-50 representation of women in appointments and organisations.
He said, “The SDP is going to unfold its manifesto very soon, in fact, in a few days. And in that manifesto, we have made a provision that in whatever we are going to do, women will have their place in appointments and organisations. It will be 50-50.
“This is the vision of SDP. We’re going to give women their rightful place in all activities and deliberations. Once our manifesto comes out, you’re going to see it. But I assure you, women will not be left behind.”
Gombe said the party was also being reorganised ahead of the 2027 elections and expressed confidence that its presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, was already taking the party’s policies to Nigerians.
“Our presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, is also all over the place making our policies known to Nigerians. We want to assure you that once our manifesto is released, you will see that every sector of society is covered.
“Again, if we implement that manifesto, Nigeria will not be the same. We will have a different country altogether,” he said.
He urged the women leaders to intensify mobilisation across the states ahead of the commencement of the party’s campaign.
“However, we need you all to keep working and mobilising women at every level when you get to your respective states so that once the campaign takes off, our women will be totally ready to go along with everybody. We are setting the pace and telling Nigerians that the SDP, as a party, will not disappoint the country.
“But let me repeat that when our manifesto is released in a couple of days, Nigerians will know that the deal has changed.”
The National Secretary of the SDP, Olu Agunloye, also confirmed the readiness of the manifesto, saying the party was only putting finishing touches to plans for its public launch.
Agunloye, a former minister, told our correspondent that the manifesto could be unveiled next week.
He said, “The manifesto is ready as we speak. What we are hoping to do now is the actual launching.”
Asked whether a date had been fixed for the unveiling, Agunloye said, “No particular day has been selected yet. The players are in the field, but the manifesto is ready to be unveiled for Nigerians to see. Hopefully, it will happen next week.”
Earlier, the National Speaker of the SDP Women Parliament, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, urged women leaders across the country to strengthen the party’s grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
Abdullahi said the party needed functional structures across the states, wards and communities to translate its political ambitions into electoral success.
“This meeting gives us an opportunity to assess where we are, identify our weaknesses and structures and develop practical strategies for taking the SDP message to every ward, community and household,” she said.
She urged the women leaders to work together and return to their respective states with renewed commitment to grassroots mobilisation.
“Our strength is in our unity, our power is in our organisation, and our weapon is our determination. We must organise, mobilise and deliver results,” she said.
