The PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PDPCC) will today Friday be in Benin City, Edo State capital to continue its rally as part of efforts to garner support and votes for its presidential candidate and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
PDP national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated this on Friday in Abuja during an interactive session with journalists at the party’s Wadata Plaza national headquarters, Wuse.
In a statement titled ‘Progress Report of the PDP Presidential Campaign Rally, Ologunagba said the PDP, his presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, look forward to the visit with excitement and enthusiasm knowing that Edo remains a fortress for the party as the general election approaches. He said the PDP will not relent in its efforts to rescue Nigeria and Nigerians from the shackles of misgovernance which the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has subjected the county into the last seven years.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) formally announces that all is set for our scheduled Presidential Campaign Rally in Benin City, Edo State capital tomorrow Saturday October 22, 2022.
“The people of Edo State are very excited and ready to receive our Presidential Candidate, the peoples candidate, H.E Atiku Abubakar GCON and his running mate, the governor of Delta State, H.E Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa CON. Of course, you know that Edo State is home to the PDP and we are ready for a sweeping victory in the 2023 general elections.
“Ahead of the rally, our Party has been receiving flurry of solidarity message from various groups, especially the youths in their massive solidarity towards the PDP’s mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The PDP has been recording very successful presidential rallies since the flag-off in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. On Monday, October 17, 2022, our Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna State was greeted by a massive crowd, which of course, rattled the APC.
“The APC as usual resorted to violence and attacked our members and innocent Nigerians in a vicious attempt to disrupt the rally, but as you are aware, the APC was firmly resisted by the people of Kaduna State, who demonstrated their full support for Atiku Abubakar as the next President of Nigeria.
“Typically, the APC resorted to an infantile, shameless and cowardly attempt to deny its obvious culpability in the violent attack on our Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna.
Such denial, even in the face of hard evidence of its guilt is consistent with the APC’s innate chromosome of lies, denials, fabrications and continuing inclination to deceive the public.
“The APC is obviously hurting over the decampment of more than a million of its members to the PDP in Kaduna State in the last couple of months. It is also apparent that the APC has become forlorn and disconcerted because it cannot legitimately field candidate for the 2023 general elections. The APC should know that resorting to thuggery and violent attack on the PDP cannot help it in its self-inflicted woes.
“For emphasis, our party has the details of how the APC plotted the attack, mobilized the thugs and compromised the security integrity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna State by refusing the PDP the use of a more secure Ahmadu Bello Stadium and forcing the rally to hold in a porous venue where the APC was able to unleash its thugs on our party members and innocent Nigerians.
“We invite the public to note that it took the APC more than 48 hours after its cowardly attack to shamelessly conjure lies and fabricated stories with a view to concealing its culpability and diverting public attention from reports that the violence was spearheaded by the APC governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Uba Sani.
“The PDP is however not surprised that the APC could resort to lies as it has never owned up to any of its numerous wrongdoings against the people. Nigerians can recall how the APC lied and denied the killing of our youths at the Lekki Toll Gate during the October 20, 2020 EndSars protest.
“It is ridiculous that the APC can claim that the thugs were supporters rented by the PDP. This is illogical and nonsensical as the PDP has overwhelming organic followership in all the states of the federation and more particularly in Kaduna State where our Party flagbearer, H.E Atiku Abubakar scored the highest votes in the 2019 presidential election; a confirmation of the popularity of the PDP in Kaduna State.
“If there is any party that is known for renting supporters, it is the APC which was recently exposed and shamed for renting artisans to pose as bishop and clergymen at the much-hyped unveiling of APC Vice Presidential Candidate in Abuja.
“The PDP calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately invite the Kaduna State APC governorship candidate for questioning on the attack on the PDP Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna State.
“The PDP is undeterred. We are already moving with Nigerians and together our destination is May 29, 2023 when Atiku Abubakar will be sworn in as the next President of Nigeria.”
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