The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign Monday berthed in Sokoto with promises to rescue the country from the misrule o...
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign Monday berthed in Sokoto with promises to rescue the country from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress.
Addressing a large crowd of party faithful and supporters, party leaders took turns to harangue the audience with what they described as the many failures of the APC.
The PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said that President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC have failed the people woefully.
According to him, the PDP has chosen a credible and experienced presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abuabakar and his running mate, Peter Obi to lead the rescue mission.
Secondus, who is also the chairman of the party's Presidential Campaign Council, said the performance records of Atiku and his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi give the reassurance that Nigeria will be in good hands from 2019.
"Atiku has what it takes to turn the economy around, create jobs for our teeming youths and unite the country", Secondus said, adding that Nigerians have turned their back on President Buhari and the APC.
The PDP chair cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies not to undermine the country by attempting to rig the elections.
Also speaking at the rally, former President Goodluck Jonathan said Atiku and Obi would show Nigeria the way forward and urged the people of the Northwest zone to join the PDP in showing the way forward.
Jonathan said, "From 1999 till date, we have seen four Presidents, from Obasanjo, to Umaru Musa Yar 'Adua, to myself and the current President (Buhari).
"You have seen how the various Presidents and the various parties have worked, and one thing is very clear, PDP is still the number one party
"There is something that all of us see as human beings, everybody, everyday must eat, and if you cannot eat well, then you are not happy.
PDP is the only party that can make sure that all of us eat very well in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening
"Let us not make mistakes, those of us who are adults, old enough to vote, if we vote wrongly, our children and grand children will not forgive us.
"Today, our country has a lot of challenges and we have looked at all the presidential candidates, all of them are good people, we have known them, credible people, but among all, we have seen that it's only Atiku that can deliver
"If you have a football match, you go with your first eleven, you don't manage. If you have a wrestling or boxing tournament, you go with your best. You don't manage.
"Atiku is experienced enough, he has demonstrated clearly in his personal life and his business life that he has the capacity to bring this country to one, and make sure that our economy grow so that all of us will have something to eat".
The President of the Senate, and Director General of the Campaign, Dr. Bukola Saraki urged the people of the Northwest to lead the way in the mission to rescue the country.
Declaring the Northwest as a PDP zone, Saraki bemoaned the deteriorating socio economic situation in the country, saying, "There is no security, there is no food, there is hunger.
"Atiku is the man that can fight insecurity, hunger and unite Nigerians. It is about food and security. We will vote Atiku. He understands it, he knows how to create jobs. He knows how to unite Nigerians. We have tried Buhari and he has failed".
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara said Nigeria should be grateful for democracy that provides them the opportunity to make changes when things are not going well.
Dogara said that he and some other Nigerians fought for change in 2015 but have since realised that the change was not forthcoming, hence the decision by himself and others to dump the APC for the PDP.
"Democracy always offers us the opportunity to correct ourselves. We had speeches dealing with our convictions in 2015 when some of us left PDP to say we wanted to associate with change.
"So we have a wonderful opportunity today to revisit those issues of 2015. We will be deceiving you to say that this election is between Atiku Abubakar and President Muhammadu Buhari.
"The election is not between them. The election is about you, women, young people and every Nigerian citizen who is suffering untold hardship today on account of lack of good leadership.
"So we want to review a lot of things. For instance, is your life better now than in 2015. Is security better now than it was in 2015. Are we more united as Nigerians than we were in 2015.
These are the things that are on the ballot paper. It is not a contest between Atiku and Buhari rather it is between APC and all Nigerians", Dogara said.
The highpoints of the rally was the presentation of the party flags to the presidential candidate and his running mate. Flag was also presented to the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal who is the PDP governorship candidate.
Other party chieftains that addressed the rally were former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwakwaso; former Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido; former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi; former Special Duties Minister, Taminu Turaki; and former Vice President, Namadi Sambo.
Atiku, who also addressed the gathering, spoke in Hausa.
COMMENTS