Junaid Mohammed has stepped down as the vice presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Mr Mohammed before this development was the running mate of the SDP presidential candidate for 2019 election Donald Duke.
The Second Republic lawmaker said he decided to step down because of the “many hassles of the SDP.”
Mohammed is a fierce critic of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said he also stepped down as the deputy national chairman of the SDP and had written letters to the party’s chairman Olu Falae and Mr Duke.
“It is true. I stepped down a while ago because of the many hassles.
“I also resigned as deputy national chairman. I have written to Chief Olu Falae and Mr. Donald Duke. However, I have not resigned from the party,” Mohammed said.
When asked if he would be supporting President Buhari for re-election, he laughed and responded, “You know I will never do such.”
Junaid has been replaced with Shehu Gabam who is also the national secretary of the party.
SDP national publicity secretary Alfa Mohammed who gave the confirmation on Thursday in Abuja said that the substitution was done long ago.
He said that Junaid’s substitution was subjected to deliberation at the party’s leadership level which he was a member.
Mohammed said the consensus was that Junaid should step down as running mate to Duke for strategic reasons.
“Hence, as a genuine party man, he voluntarily stepped down and thereafter signed all the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) forms required to perfect the substitution process.
“He remains one of our highly respected leaders the party is proud to have.
“Meanwhile, the substitution which was done long ago now has Shehu Musa Gabam from the north east as our vice presidential candidate,” he said.
