The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is confident that it will win this weekend’s gubernatorial elections taking place in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states as it believes that while it has campaign messages for the people in the different states, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is struggling.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba who stated this in an interactive session with journalists at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, affirmed that the main opposition has been engaged in “very vigorous, issue-based and people-driven campaigns” in the states.
“Our candidates are standing strong with the people and we are sure of coasting to victory on Saturday in the three states. The signals are all green,” he asserted.
In Kogi State in particular, he said that the party’s candidate, Dino Melaye’s popularity has rendered the APC candidate Usman Ododo “practically mute,” noting that the PDP has gained more grounds than in the three senatorial zones of the state.
The party spokesman added: “Governor Yayaha Bello is already overwhelmed and he has technically accepted defeat, especially with the triumph of Senator Hadiza Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the Kogi Central Senatorial District which is an affirmation of the popularity and acceptability of our party in the state.
“The APC has lost its voice. That is why they are no longer campaigning in Kogi State. The APC is now jittery and in mortal fear of the PDP.”
Noting that the APC-led Kogi State government denied the party the use of the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja for the PDP campaign grand finale scheduled for Thursday, Olugunagba added: “This panic mode of the APC cannot stop our party and the people of Kogi State. We will hold our rally and go ahead to win the Governorship election in Kogi State on Saturday.”
On Bayelsa State, he observed that the party’s candidate and Governor of the state, Duoye Diri’s achievements have endeared him to the people of the state who he stated are eagerly awaiting his swearing-in for a second tenure.
He added: “The APC candidate, Timipre Sylva has no fighting chance in the face of the more popular candidate of the PDP. He has no message; the APC is practically dead in Bayelsa and cannot win in any Local Government of the state.”
And on the Imo State race, Ologunagba said the party’s candidate, Samuel Anyanwu, was the only one who was able to visit all 27 local government areas of the state to campaign.
He added: “The message of our party and candidate is to ‘Make Imo Safe Again.’ We are set to win overwhelmingly in Imo State because of the acceptability of our candidate and party among the people. He is an accessible, grassroots politician, humane, understands and connects to the suffering of the people.
“He has always won elections through the popular vote and he will win on Saturday. In contrast, the candidate of the APC, Sen. Hope Uzodimma has never won any election. He has always been disconnected from the people. In this election no matter the shenanigans by Uzodimma and APC, defeat stares them in the face.
“Governor Uzodimma cannot win in any polling unit in a free and fair election in Imo State. He has no organic support in any part of the state including his home zone, Orlu.”
He reiterated the party’s demand for the removal of the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Sylvia Agu, who he said the party has no confidence in because of her antecedents.
Ologunagbe added: “Less than four days to the election, the INEC Chairman has not redeployed Prof. Sylvia Agu despite the widespread outcry. This is despite the lead provided by the IGP. The information available to us indicates that INEC had held several meetings on the Imo election and that the preponderance of opinion in INEC was that it was imperative that Prof. Sylvia Agu should be redeployed in order to maintain the integrity and neutrality of INEC.
“It is in the interest of Prof. Agu to recuse herself from participating, supervising, or superintending the Saturday, November 11, election in Imo State.
“The PDP is aware of Prof. Agu’s mission which is to compromise and manipulate the election in favour of the APC, having regard to her antecedent in previous elections.
“The PDP wants to state that our party and candidate are winning the Imo election and we and the people of Imo State will never fold our hands and watch the election manipulated by anybody whatsoever.
“The PDP believes that the INEC Chairman knows the implications of any attempt to compromise election in a State like Imo. He should heed the voice of reason and redeploy Prof Agu immediately.”
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