PDP optimistic of success in supplementary polls

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says it is optimistic of victory in states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is to hold supplementary governorship elections on March 23.

The party’s National Working Committee (NWC), expressed the optimism in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, after the committee’s emergency meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan expressed the party’s readiness for the supplementary elections.

He said that the hierarchy of the party was not happy that INEC declared elections inconclusive in states where PDP had popular support and had defeated it’s opponents.

“In states where PDP was leading, elections were declared inconclusive, whereas in states like Ogun, where the All Progressives Congress (APC), was in the lead, a winner was announced even when the lead margin was below the number of cancelled votes,” he alleged.

He said that the PDP was ready for the supplementary elections and was sure of resounding success.

“In Sokoto state, a stronghold of our party and where the PDP is already in a clear lead, our victory at the March 23 supplementary election is guaranteed.

“In Benue, the people have expressed their readiness to go into the supplementary election and they are prepared to vote for the PDP candidate, Gov.  Samuel Ortom.

“They are also aware that by PDP’s current leading margin of over 81,000 votes, it is manifestly clear that there is no way any other party will defeat the PDP in Benue.

“In Adamawa, the PDP observed the mischievous calculation of the opposition in sponsoring someone, who did not participate in the election, to go to court and claim that the logo of his party was omitted in the ballot.

“This is a desperate bid to get the election already won by the PDP cancelled. The PDP, however, notes the failure of the opposition to achieve its mischief in Adamawa state.

“In Bauchi State, it is known to all,  that the Tafawa Balewa Local Government has always been a home to the PDP since 1999,” he said.

Ologbondiyan said that in Kano state, the APC would be confronting the strong will of the people to elect a new governor.

“Already, the people of Kano State are standing shoulder to shoulder with the PDP in their pursuit of bringing a government that will be representative and purposeful.

“On no account must Nigerians allow a culture of impunity, where those who failed in any election, will compromise our electoral arbiter and force themselves on the people,” he said.

Ologbondiyan said that the party had directed all its members to resist any attempt by anybody to tamper with the will of the people in their states, during the supplementary elections.

He said that the party, after proper review of various states where elections were declared inconclusive, advised INEC to release the results and declare the winners.

“In Rivers state, the PDP restates its demand that INEC should release the results already collated on the governorship election in which PDP clearly won, and declare Governor Nyesom Wike as winner,” he said.

Ologbondiyan expressed worry over the involvement of the military in politics, saying that the situation was affecting public confidence on the revered institution. (NAN)