‘Unavailable venue’ forces SDP to move national convention from Abuja to Bauchi

Rising security concerns and difficulties in securing venues have forced the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to relocate its national convention scheduled for May 9 from Abuja to Bauchi State, further highlighting the growing impact of insecurity on Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.

The decision, announced by the party’s National Chairman, Sadiq Gombe, comes amid growing concerns about security and the ability of political parties to freely hold major events in several regions of the country.

According to Gombe, the party chose Bauchi after experiencing difficulties in getting a suitable location in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Considering the difficulty in getting a venue, we decided to move it to Bauchi, because constitutionally, the convention can be held anywhere in the country,” he explained.

The SDP chairman also expressed appreciation to the Bauchi State Government for supporting the party despite political differences.

“We sincerely appreciate the Governor of Bauchi State who, although not a member of the SDP, kindly provided a venue for our convention,” he added.

The relocation is seen by political observers as another sign of how insecurity and operational challenges are beginning to change the democratic process in Nigeria, with political parties, election administrators and security agencies increasingly under pressure to ensure safe and credible political engagement.

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Despite the change in location, party leaders insisted that preparations for the convention were continuing as planned and steps had been taken to ensure the convention went smoothly.

Gombe revealed that arrangements had been made to protect delegates, candidates and party members traveling to Bauchi to attend the event.

As part of the preparations, the party inaugurated several committees to coordinate various aspects of the convention process, including the screening and conduct of elections.

These committees include the Screening Committee, General Election Committee, Convention Committee, as well as a number of sub-committees assigned to handle specific responsibilities.

Explaining the framework set for the exercise, the SDP chairman said, “Each of the four committees has clearly defined responsibilities to ensure a credible exercise. They were set up to ensure a smooth and credible exercise.

“We have confidence in the competence and integrity of the committee members to carry out their responsibilities diligently, fairly and transparently. We guarantee that the process will be carried out strictly in accordance with established guidelines.”

He further revealed that the ongoing screening process will include candidates vying for positions at all levels of government.

“Our screening exercise will cover all candidates vying for elected positions, including the office of President, governorship seats in 36 states, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly,” he assured.

The screening process, which began in Abuja, is expected to determine the suitability of the candidates ahead of the convention where candidates for various offices are expected to emerge.

Chair of the Screening Committee, Sadiq Lima, also emphasized the importance of fairness, transparency and integrity during the exercise.

“Even though our levels of understanding vary, we must approach this task with perseverance and integrity,” Lima said.