Adewole Adebayo defeats Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi to win SDP presidential ticket 

Adewole Adebayo, founder of KAFTAN Television, has won the presidential primary election organised by a faction of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Umar Ardo, the returning officer for the election, announced Adebayo as the winner of the contest held on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ardo said Adebayo polled 1,526 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Khadija Okunnu-Lamidi, who got 83 votes.

Speaking after he was declared winner, Adebayo said the party will work to raise the standard of living of Nigerians if it wins the 2023 presidential election.

“We will campaign to every household, every polling unit, every ward, every local government, every state, every zone and the entire country,” he said.

“We will come out and show to Nigerians that food, water, electricity, housing, education and medical care are not prayer points.”

The SDP is embroiled in a leadership crisis, with two groups competing for control of the party, which has turned into a legal battle.

Supo Shonibare leads the group which claims to be the “authentic leadership” of the party, while the Shehu Gabam-led faction is recognised by the Independent  National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In May, Ebenezer Ikeyina, former lawmaker representing Anambra central in the senate, won the SDP presidential primary election organised by the Shonibare-led faction.