Donald Duke defeats Jerry Gana to emerge SDP presidential candidate

Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River state, has won the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the 2019 election.

The former governor was declared winner on Sunday at the party’s national convention which held at Old Parade Ground, Abuja.

Abdul Isiaq, the returning officer, said Duke polled 812 votes to defeat Jerry Gana, former minister of information, who polled 611 votes.

Isiaq said John Dara had 104 votes, Iyorwuese Hagher scored 72 votes and Felix Osakwe polled 10 votes, while the number of invalid votes stood at 63.

In his acceptance speech, Duke said his emergence was a collective victory for all aspirants that participated in the contest.

While calling for the support of other aspirants and party members, Duke said he “will reawaken in Nigerians that yearning that we are destined to be, but we cannot do this alone.

“What divides us is inadequacy and wants, because in the face of this survival of the fittest comes in, which ought not to be so because there is more than enough for everyone.

“This is what good governance is all about and that is what I stand for.”