The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said with its array of popular
candidates, a verifiable record of performance as well as the support of
a majority of the voting population, it will win overwhelmingly in the
February general elections.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on
Wednesday said “the PDP stands out as the only party that commands
genuine followership among Nigerians irrespective of religious and
ethnic affiliations” adding that this “will 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.
“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 remains committed to peaceful and credible elections,
the PDP however urged Nigerians to “continue to be alert and resist the
antics of the opposition, who plot to instigate violence and truncate
the democratic process in the face of crushing defeat.”
The PDP 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.”.