TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will win overwhelmingly in the February general election, vowing to take back states it lost to the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Wednesday, Olisa Metuh, the PDP spokesman, said it stood out as the only party with genuine followership among Nigerians irrespective of their religious and ethnic affiliations, adding its popularity would drive the voting pattern and reflect accordingly in the results of the presidential, governorship, national and states assembly elections across the federation.

“This election is beyond propaganda and empty popularity claims in the social media. Nigerians will vote; their votes will count and this will give us victory. This is because we are running on a record of verifiable achievements of our elected and appointed officers at the federal and state levels,” the party said.

“Our presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan and our great party have suffered undue criticisms from misguided quarters. The opposition has tried so hard to taint our image. They have made efforts to portray us in bad light. They have insulted, abused and maligned us, but we have refused to be defined by their propaganda and deceit. We, and many more innocent Nigerians became victims of bad politics by desperate individuals who promote divisions and violence in their selfish quest for power.

“Nevertheless, our satisfaction is that a majority of Nigerians appreciate our sincerity, our achievements and above all, our commitment in sustaining our democracy and the unity of our dear nation in the face of daunting challenges.

“Nigerians appreciate that it is not by chance but through hard work and careful planning that our economy grew to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the largest in Africa.

“It is also to the credit of the PDP-led administration that freedom and personal liberty, essential components of democracy, have been enhanced. Today, Nigerians relish all forms of freedom, social justice, and fairness in line with the ideology and manifesto of the PDP.

“Our President has proven to be a meticulous leader whose policies and actions are a product of deep reflection and consultations. He has been able to withstand all kinds of pressures, even in the most challenging circumstances. At the state level, the sterling performance of our
governors in transforming their states and delivering democracy dividends to their citizens speaks volume of our party’s covenant with the people and commitment to good governance.

“Indeed the PDP remains the most popular political party in Nigeria commanding the respect and support of the majority of the voting population in all the nooks and crannies of our country.

“In the north, apart from the fact that the PDP is in control of the administration of 12 out of the 19 states in the region, our party commands grass root support and will win majority of the votes in our original states of Sokoto, Kano, Nasarawa and Kwara. Also with our very strong support base, we are certain of impressive performance in Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states where the policies and programmes of the PDP-led federal government have directly touched the lives of the ordinary Nigerians.

“In the south, the PDP is in good stead not only to win overwhelmingly in states under our control, but also majority of the votes in our original states of Imo and Rivers where the APC has not been able to match our achievements. This is in addition to Lagos and other southwest states where our popular candidates and as well as positive impact of our policies and programmes on the people speak for us”.

Stating that it remained committed to peaceful and credible elections, the PDP urged Nigerians to shun violence and any act that could truncate the democratic process.

The party insisted that despite its alleged imperfections, “the alternative does not represent a viable option for the growth and sustenance of democracy as they lack substance in policies and programmes.”