A leadership crisis has rocking the Kogi State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the state Chairman of the party Moses Peter Oricha alleging that some “ghost members” were planning to hold a congress on March 12 in the state.
Oricha, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, therefore, told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies as well as the public to disregard a purported congress being organised by some individuals claiming to be members of the party later this week.
He said some individuals, he described as ghost members, were planning to hold a congress on behalf of the SDP in the State on March 12, 2025, adding that “this is not only laughable but criminal in a modern democratic setting. These individuals are not only faceless but are also being sponsored by their paymasters—not just for their selfish interests but also to cause chaos in our party, which we built from scratch.
“The general public should not take these individuals serious with their caricature of a state congress, which cannot stand the test of time because nobody knows them in SDP Kogi State.
“I have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, and copied the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Commissioner of Police, urging them to disregard and stop this purported illegal congress, which will never stand the test of time.
“I am the authentic chairman of SDP in Kogi State, and we will not allow intruders who are working hard to destroy our party, which we have built over the years. This congress, scheduled for Wednesday, is null and void and cannot stand,” he said.
According to Oricha, the congress of the present executives under his leadership, held on April 9, 2022, remains valid under the SDP constitution.
“Any plan to conduct an SDP congress in Kogi State cannot hold. We urge SDP supporters to disregard any such purported plan by this group of disgruntled elements who are enemies of our party.
“To me, these are all ghost individuals who are not members of the SDP. We urge INEC and security agencies to be on high alert. As far as the SDP is concerned, there is no congress taking place later this week or this year until April 2026, in accordance with our party’s constitution.”
