BY BIODUN NEJO
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, on Thursday, presented the party flag to the PDP governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka, with the assurance that the party will win the July 14 election.
A tumultuous crowd witnessed the occasion in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Secondus, who spoke at the PDP Mega Rally in Ado Ekiti which was attended by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and PDP national and zonal leaders, PDP governors and party faithful across Ekiti State, hinged the party’s anticipated victory on Governor Ayodele Fayose”s achievements, Olusola’s popularity, love for PDP and failure of APC.
Secondus said: “The PDP is rebranded and repositioned; we are here to rescue Nigeria from insecurity, from collapse and from hardship Nigerians are presently going through under the APC government
Secondus, Atiku and as well the governors urged the electorate to resist rigging during the governorship election.
While rallying support for Olusola, the PDP leaders declared that the Ekiti State election would be their starting point to dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Presidency in the 2019.
Bigwigs at the event include former Caretaker Chairman and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi; former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido; former Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin.
Other PDP governors who canvassed for votes for Olusola include: Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Mr. Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Mr. Daris Ishaku (Taraba), Prof. Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd) and River State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Atiku, a presidential aspirant, said the PDP was on a mission to rescue Nigeria from insecurity and other challenges confronting it.
Drumming support for continuity agenda in Ekiti, Atiku urged the
people of Ekiti to vote for Olusola, who is seeking to succeed his boss, Governor Fayose, in the July 14 election.
He said: “I have known Ekiti since 1992 and between then and now,
every project in this state was built by PDP and it is time to make
sure that PDP continues.
Chairman of PDP National Campaign Council and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel said Nigerians were tired of APC leadership and are ready to vote out the broom party.
He urged security agencies to allow the conduct of a free, fair and
credible election and ensure that the votes of the Ekiti electorate
count.
Fayose accused the APC of planning to the rig the
governorship poll but maintained that the people of the state were
ready to resist any attempt to manipulate the poll.
He alleged that the intimidation ahead of the election had started
with the alleged closure of the Akure Airport to prevent governors and other party leaders from attending the rally.
Fayose said: “INEC, we know your plan that you want to rig for APC, we will follow you bumper-to-bumper. We know your preloaded agenda, how you are planning to release ballot papers to APC.
“We knew what you did in Kogi, we knew what you did in Ondo, we know your plan. Whether APC resort to violence or not, Kolapo OLusola will be declared governor-elect of Ekiti State, Nigeria.
“I want to say that over 99 per cent of those who will conduct the election are not from Ekiti; youth corp members, police, INEC are not from here, leave our state alone.
Speaking after receiving the flag, Olusola aid: “We are going to
sustain the good legacies of Governor Ayo Fayose, we are going to change the face of Ekiti.
“I want you people to be assured of good infrastructure, quality
healthcare, enterprise development and tourism. It is a divine agenda,
it is a divine mission”.