Ayu meets guber candidates, targets 25 governorship seats

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has said that the target of the party in the 2023 general elections is not just to win the presidency but at least 25 governorship seats as well.

He made the assertion as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the main opposition party had an interactive session with the party’s gubernatorial candidates at its national secretariat in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said the candidates briefed the party leadership of the various efforts they are making to win their elections

The party boss also stated that where there were issues, they have now been clarified.

Ayu said: “The candidates came and express their concerns in their various states, briefed us on the efforts they are making in their various states to win the election. As you know, the elections will be won in the states, not just at the national level.

“I am very happy with the progress that are made so far in various states and some of the little issues that we have clarified and it was an extremely useful meeting.

“So, we are happy that the members of the party are very determined that we don’t just win at the national level, state Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, state governorship, we want to return about 25 state governors or more as we used to have. So, the mood in the party is excellent.”

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Also speaking after the event, Governor Bala Mohammed, of Bauchi State, said he was not aware that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was having meetings with other political parties.

The Rivers governor and his supporters had met with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and were also speculated to have met with the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

The Rivers governor and his supporters have yet to endorse the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, over his choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

The Bauchi governor, who was fielding questions from reporters, assured that the PDP remains united.

He stated: “The chairman has already spoken. You know we are loyal party members. We believe in the supremacy and sanctity of the party and he has already told you that the mood is very excellent.

“The candidates are coming together uniting the party to discuss, even issues of reconciliation. So, it is a very democratic party. He is open and we have asked him all the question that we need to ask about how to win the elections and then the strategies are ours.

“We don’t have to relate it to the media now, but certainly we are on course.

“I am not aware of the meeting between other party members and Governor Wike.”

The Kaduna governorship candidate of the PDP and Chairman of the PDP Governorship Candidates’ Forum, Isa Mohammed Ashiru, remarked that they came to the national leadership to have consultation with them on the way forward towards the 2023 elections.

“We are here on a consultative meeting with our leaders on the way forward and we have extended discussions and views, regarding the 2023 elections and we are home and dry. We don’t have crisis in PDP,” he said.

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2023: Our target is to win presidency, 25 governorship seats ― Ayu