South West PDP says it is confident Atiku will overcome all obstacle to win on Saturday

By Patrick Okohue

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed optimism that Saturday’s presidential election will be the chance Nigerians have to sing their farewell song to President Muhammadu Buhari as he goes to rest in his Daura home town and usher in a new president in the person of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the the Nigeria seat of power. Speaking of their optimism in Lagos during a one-day intensive colloquium with the theme ‘Atiku: A defining paradigm’, the PDP National Vice Chairman, South West, Dr. Eddy Olafeso said his optimism and that of members of his party and majority of Nigerians is based on the inability of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to fulfill the myriads of promises it made to Nigerians while seeking their votes in 2015. According to him, “My optimism is running very high and is based on the fact that all Nigerians have decided to take the country away from these people for the three and half years of mismanagement on all fronts, they campaigned on three tripod that they will ensure security, economy and they will fight corruption, today insecurity in Nigeria has gone bunkers and we are yet to find Leah Sharibu after all these long while. “Remember they said in 100 days they will defeat Boko Haram, but today Boko Haram, Headsmen and the usual onslaught on the Nigeria citizens have gone to four zones, the anti corruption war is dead, they killed it, every corrupt Nigerian in PDP has already moved to APC and their chairman, Adams said there is a sanctuary for them, that as soon as they join the party, they are free and they are faultless. “We have seen that they have failed the Nigerian people, they did not keep their promises, so the nation has moved away from them. I am sure you watched what happened in Kano, there is excitement in Nigeria and they are ready to sing the farewell song for them so that Baba can go and rest in Daura,” he said. Also speaking on the sideline of the event, a former Commissioner in Lagos State and former Acting National Secretary of the PDP, whi is also a member of its Board of Trustees (BOT), Dr. Aderemi Akitoye, assured that with what the party has done he was confident that they will take victory on Saturday. “The PDP has done enough in the sense that there is no magic in electioneering, it is your work, your tactics, your logistics and these are not things you can discuss openly anywhere all over the world. There is a limit to what the party can speak about, but as far as we are concerned we have done what we need to do as a party to win the election if it is free and fair.” Urging the people to be vigilant, Akitoye said “All we have to do on Saturday is go out and vote according to our experience, if this era is better than the past that is an experience, but like Stalin, I think said, ‘the voters don’t count, it is the counters that matter.’ “So, we should all mobilise to ensure that our votes matter, that our votes are counted and that our electoral will power, which is the PVC is not missing on that day and when you vote wait and make sure your votes are counted.” He said that for now they have confidence in the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do what is right, until they prove otherwise, “We have to have confidence in INEC until they prove otherwise, it is an institution created by our own government and we are the government, but if they do wrong people like you in the media should be able to say no this is not acceptable, but I believe that Saturday will be peaceful and all votes will count,” he said. Also speaking, a member of the executive committee of the PDP in the South West, Yeye Agnes Adenike Shobajo, also expressed optimism that the PDP will carry the day, saying, “I am definite that our party will win this election, because we have put a lot into it, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar has done so much, he has gone round the country campaigning, he has put his best into it despite the difficulties put on his way with the aim of disrupting his campaign, yet he has gallantly gone round the country. “We have the person of the Senate President with us, we have several governors who have found out that they made a mistake by going somewhere else, they are back, several senators and leaders, all women are working hard at all level and everyone is working hard to ensure that the desire comes through. We have more strength than weaknesses; we have more opportunities than threats.” Talking about defections she said, “we are not worried because those who have defected back are those who are actually the political strength in Nigeria, if you look at the people that we have behind Atiku, they are not just professionals, they are not just business people, they are politicians of note and strong, we are talking about people who will actually bring the crowd and we have them.” A former Special Assistant to President Jonathan on Public Relations, Dr. Olusanya Awosan, a former Commissioner in Lagos State, Dr. Lanre Towry-Coker, seasoned journalist, Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu were among those that presented papers at the event.