From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has said the opposition will win the 2023 general elections, claiming the the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed the nation.
He stated this, in an interview with journalists, yesterday, at the presentation of Certificate of Returns to the party’s governorship candidates for the 2023 poll.
He expressed confidence that the PDP would retain all the 13 states it currently controls, as well as win other states under the control of the APC. He said the failure of the ruling party was glaring for every Nigerian to see.
“We are very confident that all the 13 states of the PDP will be retained because our governors have performed very well. Most of them performed very, very well. We don’t have any fears that the people will vote them back or their successors to power in those states where we don’t have governors. People have seen the ineptitude, the incapacity of the APC-led administration from the governorship level to the presidency and I’m sure by next year people will be voting PDP, so we are very sure that we will capture most states. We believe that the PDP will go back to his winning ways. When we started in 1999 We were able to produce 21 governors, we grew that number in 2003 to 28 and sustained it at 28 up to 2007.”
Ayu said the party came through hard times and the number declined to 13 governors, which he said was not good for the party, expressing the optimism that the number could go up to 25.
He charged the party governorship candidates to work hard to reconcile with those that opposed him in the primaries.
“Work with everybody, carry everybody along, so that at the end of the day by next year, we should be able to come back to at least 25 governors. You were chosen to be our flag bearers at the forthcoming elections. Everybody who contested with you was also chosen. You must carry every member of the defeated aspirants’ communities along because they contributed in mobilising and growing our party.”
Speaking at the ceremony, the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said it was evident that the PDP was the party Nigerians are waiting for.
The former Vice President congratulated the gubernatorial candidates and urged them to be united and work for the party’s victory in 2023.
“I want to assure all of you that we will work together as a team and make sure you are all brought back elected as governors in your respective states. I will ensure that we work together as a team in every state of this country to enthrone a PDP government. The question of saying that we are going to give a quarter of the country or so to the ruling party must not arise in this election. The processes which have made you to emerge are now history; what is before us is a task that we must all unite and achieve for this party and for Nigerians,’’ Abubakar said.
All the party’s governorship candidates were issued their certificates of return, except for Ebonyi and Kano because of legal issues within the party in the states.
Those who received the certificates were: Ladipupo Adebutu (Ogun), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ahmadu Fintri (Adamawa), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Prof. Uche Ikonne (Abia), Oborevwori Sheriff (Delta), Pastor Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Siminialayi Fabura (Rivers) and Sandy Onor (Cross River).
Also issued with certificates were Mohammed Sule-Lamido (Jigawa), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Titus Uba (Benue), Sa’aidu Umar (Sokoto) and Isa Ashiru (Kaduna State).
Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of other candidates, said they appreciated the party’s leaders, assuring of synergy at state level for the party to emerge victorious.