•PDP: Our candidate, Atiku, will emerge Nigeria’s next president
Emma Okonji, Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that it was certain that the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu, would win Saturday’s election, despite the currency swap and fuel scarcity.
In the same breath, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the party would win the election and that its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would become the next President of Nigeria, given his track records.
This is as One Nigeria Group (ONG) has said only Atiku could save the country from the current quagmire.
Special Adviser on Media and Strategic Communications, Dele Alake, yesterday, while addressing a press conference alongside other Directors of the Directorate of Media and communication of the campaign council, said since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the armed forces, especially the police, had all declared their preparedness and readiness to ensure a free, fair and credible election, APC as a party and campaign council were also ready for the election.
Alake noted that APC PCC has worked so hard since INEC declared the campaign open for Presidential and National Assembly positions on September 28, 2022.
“We are certain of victory because Nigerians will elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for, he clearly stands apart from the pack and has worked so much to earn the trophy,” he said.
Alake stressed that throughout the electioneering season, the campaign worked hard to keep its commitment to focus on issues that affect the lives of Nigerians.
He noted that like Tinubu, the campaign used every opportunity to sell the agenda for a better Nigeria as encapsulated in Tinubu’s Action Plan, “Renewed Hope” policy document.
“We worked very hard to stay on issues, while the opposition elements, especially the rudderless Peoples Democratic Party constantly assailed Asiwaju Tinubu with ridiculous, unsubstantiated and often fabricated allegations, all in futile bid to derail our campaign.
“Despite all the evil machinations of the opposition, we remained focused on our message of prosperity that will ride on the achievements of the current APC government, with strong determination by Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Shettima to improve on areas that require greater and better governance outcomes.”
While pointing out that most of the opinion polls in the last few weeks that gave victory in the coming election to the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, oscillated between the sublime and the most ridiculous, he added: “We want to state categorically here, that those polls will only lead to despair, despondency, utter shame and disappointment because the pollsters only took a flight of fancy.
“There is no evidence and reality on ground anywhere in Nigeria as far as the presidential election is concerned that support Mr. Obi winning this election. Labour Party has no pathway to victory.
“This presidential election is going to be a straight contest between the candidates of APC and PDP and from more studious and rational polling, our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is coasting home to victory despite the current challenges in the implementation of the currency swap and fuel scarcity that have caused some difficulties for almost all Nigerians regardless of social and economic status.”
PDP Optimistic about Winning Presidential Election
The leadership of the PDP has said it would win the Saturday presidential election and that its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would become the next President of Nigeria, given his track records.
A former National Chairman of the. party, Uche Secondus, said this yesterday while speaking as a guest on the Morning Show of ARISE NEWS Channel.
Citing reasons why the party was positive about the outcome of the elections, Secondus said, Nigerians already knew the candidate that was physically fit and morally sound to rule the country, and those who were just regional leaders.
“I believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a nationalist, who is known all over the country, a bridge builder, and a unifier. All those credentials are the reasons why Nigerians believe that Atiku Abubakar will emerge the winner of this election on the 25th of February,” he said.
Fielding questions about Atiku’s plan to attain victory, irrespective of the fact that the youths, which consisted of more than 30 per cent of the registered voters were rooting for the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, the former PDP chairman said Atiku brought in a lot of youths into his administration, when he was the vice-president, who were willing to vote for him.
His words: “This man believes in the talent of the youths and he is not isolated from the youths. He has children and believes in that class of people in Nigeria, because moving forward, those are the people that will take over from the current generation.
“He has a track record of putting youths to work. He has established a university, given scholarships to the young ones. This is a man, who believes that no one can do without 30 per cent critical mass of the youth in our nation especially, at this time.
“Nigerians require the experience of Atiku Abubakar to set the country right and allow the youths to take over the future. We are convinced that the one that can set Nigeria again on the path of progress and the economic boom will be our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. We believe that all the youths have tested other candidates, they have also seen them, and the difference is very clear on who can do this job on their behalf,” he said.
Speaking about the crisis that PDP has with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and how they have been able to coordinate campaigns amid the crisis, Secondus confessed that it hadn’t been very easy with the party in Rivers State.
He, however, said they had carried out campaign at the grassroot and that Rivers State people would vote for PDP on the election day, adding that, the party would not be intimidated by the governor’s ego and his attacks on Atiku, because they were convinced the people of Rivers State would vote for PDP in the elections.
Meanwhile, the One Nigeria Group (ONG), which has declared its support for Atiku, said it was apparent that elections in Nigeria were usually fraught with violence and different kinds of misconduct that threaten the credibility of the exercise.
President of the group, Muhammad Hassan, who made the declaration while addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, called on the security agencies and personnel, particularly the Police, Army, Civil Defence and Department of Security Service (DSS) to conduct themselves in ways capable of guaranteeing peace and security before, during and after the elections.
“We also call on separatist movements and agitators, particularly, the Yoruba Nation and IPOB, to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign as we go out to elect our leaders again. We urge both local and international observers to demonstrate adequate professionalism in the discharge of their duties in this exercise. The media must also be professional (and objective) in their reporting as they are also very crucial to this democratic achievement,” he said.
