*Issues certificates of return to 26 guber candidates
Abuja—The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has expressed confidence that the party will take the Presidency and most states of the federation in 2023 elections.
Ayu said this while responding to questions from newsmen, soon after presenting certificates of return to the party’s governorship candidates at a ceremony in Abuja yesterday..
He hinged his confidence on the fact that Nigerians were disenchanted with the poor handling of the economy and security by President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC, as well as the sterling performance of governors in PDP-controlled states.
Ayu said: “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 fear that the people will vote them back to power 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 also very sure that we will capture most states.”
Earlier, the party chairman had congratulated the party’s flag bearers in 26 of the 28 states where governorship elections are due to hold in 2023.
He appealed to the candidates to carry along those who contested against them in the primaries as they prepared for the elections.
In his remarks, the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, described the event as evidence of the fact that the PDP was the party Nigerians were waiting for.
He said: “This event is one of those events that clearly shows that our party is the party that Nigerians are waiting for.
“Therefore, let me use this opportunity to congratulate each gubernatorial candidate representing our party in the forthcoming general elections.
“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, and I will ensure we work together as a team in every state of this country, to enthrone a PDP government.”
Also, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who spoke on behalf of other candidates, said: “On behalf of myself and all the candidates of the PDP for the forthcoming election in 2023, we wish to express our deepest appreciation to our dear party and leaders.
“This moment is a moment of happiness, a moment of accomplishment because we all toiled hard for this.
“Our dear presidential candidate, we want to assure you that the party has gone through all the due diligence to make sure you emerge as candidates and we have seen the internal democracy that had been conducted to ensure peace in the party.
“Mr President, we assure you that there will be no problem in all the states of the federation and we are going to work with you to make sure you emerge as the president of Nigeria.”
Some of those who received their certificates include Adebutu Oladipupo (Ogun), Prof. Ikonne Eleaza (Abia), Lt. Col. Kefas Agbo (Taraba), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), among others.
All of the party’s candidates, except Kano and Ebonyi states, were handed their certificates.
