Donald Etim Duke, Former Governor of Cross River State, has won and emerged the Presidential flag bearer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria.
Mr Donald Duke polled 812 votes to emerge the winner after defeating his close rival, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, who got 611 votes at the party’s National Convention held in Abuja, Nigeria
According to the Convention Returning Officer, Dr Abdul Isiaq, who declared the results of the election at the early hour of Sunday 7th October 2018, said John Dara, former Special Assistant to Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma, former Defence Minister, scored 104 votes. He also announced that former Ambassador and former Minister, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher polled 72 votes; former Ambassador, Felix Osakwe tallied ten votes, while the number of invalid votes was 63.
Duke in his acceptance speech, described his emergence as a collective victory for all aspirants that participated in the contest, as well for the party and the nation. He said that primary was just a step in the battle, meaning he will go through the country to campaign and sell the party and it’s policies to citizens.
Donald Duke Wins Presidential Ticket For SDP:
He called for the support of all aspirants, the party officials and Nigerians to win 2019 general election, saying “we will reawaken in Nigerians that yearning that we are destined to be, but we can not do this alone.” He said that Nigeria was not a divided nation but a country of common purpose. “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.”
If Nigerians were productive and abide by rules and regulations, the nation would grow from strength to strength. “This is what good governance is all about, and that is what I stand for says, Donald Duke,