The Social Democratic Party (SDP) says it was not among the opposition parties which endorsed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar as their consensus candidate in the forthcoming 2019 presidential election.

In a statement issued through Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, the Director General of its Presidential Campaign Council, the party distanced itself from the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) which on Wednesday agreed to field Atiku as their consensus candidate.

“The attention of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its Presidential Campaign Organization has been drawn to the purported endorsement of the PDP presidential Candidate ,Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the consensus candidate of the Nigerian opposition parties for the 2019 presidential election.

“We hereby state unequivocally that the SDP is not a party to this arrangement. Although we were initially part of the CUPP, the understanding was that each member party having elected its presidential candidate would then sit in a committee to select a consensus presidential candidate, running mate and other officers of the campaign committee.

“Contrary to this spirit of understanding, one of the political parties elected its presidential candidate and without consulting the CUPP, went ahead to nominate its running mate and indeed all other officers of their campaign organization.

“This not only negated the understanding between the parties but also abrogated the agreement itself,” the statement read.

The party however urged its members and the general public who have made up their minds to vote for the SDP candidate, Donald Duke as the next president of Nigeria to remain resolute and stay true to their convictions.

“Donald Duke and the SDP are the best options to take Nigeria out of its present situation and restore the glory of our great country,” the statement added.