By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday reiterated that despite pockets of family disagreements with in the party, Nigerians have resolved to join hands, retrieve and rescue the country from the misrule of the All-Progressives Congress in 2023.
This is even as its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar reaffirmed his commitment towards running a system of government that will cure all the existential challenges facing the country ranging from insecurity, free fall of the naira, broken educational system, unemployment, unimplementable exclusive list, non-viable federating units among others.
The party made its position known during the inauguration of its 600-member Presidential campaign council at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
Deputy National Chairman North, Amb. Umaru Damagun who represented the National Chairman Sen. Iyorchia Ayu at the occasion in his opening remarks while inaugurating the council, urged party members to bury their differences and work together to make the party victorious in the general election.
He described ominous, the task of winning the next election, saying that the responsibility must be handled with all sense of patriotism to both the party and the nation. He reminded members that of the campaign council that the legacies of the party while in government speaks volumes leading to the clamour and goodwill it has received recently from Nigerians.
“While we are making every effort to unify all aggrieved individuals or groups arising from the primaries, we know that PDP is more focused than now.
“We have a duty to rescue this country from the clutches of those that want to destroy it. You will also recall that this country has witnessed a negative change since the PDP left government in 2015. We have moved from hopeful and growing economy to the informal title of world poverty capital. It is also worth recalling that economy activities, even during the challenges we have within the North, that is the Boko Haram saga, still the country was up and doing.
“Let me formally put it on record, that God in his infinite mercy, has provided Nigerians another opportunity to evaluate us and those that came after us. It is time to assess and do the needful. We are presenting our best to all” he said.
Also speaking the Presidential Candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar said that the current government has failed at the very essence of what makes a government: the security of lives and property of its citizens adding that the economy is in shambles, people are facing massive existential challenges, “the fabric of unity that binds our country is, today, being torn apart by mutual distrust, ethnic and sectarian strife and we are now more disunited than we have ever been in our history, including even when we fought a civil war.
“Our current system is unfair, unwieldy, skewed towards favouring the federal government at the expense of the other federating units, and has in itself, become a willing tool for underdevelopment. This kind of system of government is no longer suited to the challenges of a twenty first century economy that works for everyone and that is needed to bring development closer to our people”.
The former Vice President assured that he has a blue print that will deal with the ills and reposition the country in his policy document.
“Our plans for Nigeria and Nigerians are as follows: To restore Nigeria’s unity through equity, social justice, mutual collaboration, and consensus among our diverse peoples.
“To build a strong and effective democratic government where the safety and security of our people and their property is our primary and singularly most important responsibility.
“To establish a strong, resilient, inclusive and prosperous economy that generates opportunity, jobs and wealth while lifting the poor out of poverty.
“To encourage the adoption of a true federal system that provides where all the federating units are equal, and has a fair and representative federal government that secures our borders, defends our people and ensures national unity, whilst allowing the federating units to develop and grow in line priorities which they have set on their own.
“To redevelop, invest in, and strengthen our education system in order to provide its recipients with the education and skills needed to compete in the new global order driven by innovation, science, and technology, as well as to live healthy, productive, and meaningful lives”.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Campaign Council and governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel said that the council will work from a united front and will disappoint all the doomsday prophets.
“Don’t mind the doomsayers, I want to assure you that PDP is a solid, that no matter the what they say, it is as solid as a rock. So please don’t mind those doomsayers. We all here, we are very serious. We want to assure you that we are campaigning to win and nothing is acceptable outside victory for PDP.
“This will also require all of us, we must also work. This time around, there is no sitting in Abuja, everybody will have to go back to carry the message home and make sure PDP is not an Abuja party. You win election from your unit to your ward to your constituency, not by sitting in Abuja. The present campaign Council will take the message back to the unit.
“We can move forward in the spirit of oneness, unity, prosperity, and progress for our party and for the sake of this country. So, all of us must join hands. We must move his party forward”.
Adding his voice, the Director General of the Campaign Council and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal expressed optimism that the with the support the party currently enjoys from disenchanted Nigerian, it will be victorious at the general election.
“We shall work collectively as a family and expeditiously to ensure the victory of our party. The party on the PDP is candidate at the party to beat in this election. It is only for us to work on God on our side, we shall deliver this victory to our party, until Nigerians will know the support that we enjoy in this country that I never shall conduct free and fair elections by so doing victory by the grace of God is guaranteed for PDP”.
The event was preceded by the unveiling of three books in honour of Atiku Abubakar titled: The Story of Atiku Abubakar; Landmark Constitutional Law Cases in Nigeria and Restructuring as a Pathway to Unity and Development.
Meanwhile, some party stalwarts, governors and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) loyal to Governor Nyesom Wike on his demand that Ayu should resign to pave way for a southerner shunned the event.
Notable among them were: Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dan Orbi Deputy National Chairman South, Sen. Walid Jubrin Former Board of Trustee Chairman, Prof. Jerry Gana former National Secretary, Olusegun Mimiko former Ondo State governor, Donald Duke former Cross River State governor, Jonah Jang former Plateau State governor and may others.
However, some of those present include: Former Vice President, Arch. Nanamdi Sambo, Delta State Governor, Ifeayni Okowa, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintri, Taraba State governor Darius Ishaku.
Others are Former Presidents of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Anyim Pious Anyim, former Speaker House of Representatives, Gali Na’aba, House Minority leader, Ndidi Elumelu, former National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
