The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has assured its supporters across the country that the votes they freely gave to its candidates in the 2019 general election will not be in vain.
It also expressed optimism that its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar will reclaim the mandate of the Nigerian people in court.
National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, in a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s spokesperson, Tuesday, made the pledge while on a solidarity visit by the leadership of the party to the Sokoto State governor, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, ahead of Saturday’s supplementary elections.
Prince Secondus said that Nigerians were extremely hurting over “the rigging of the Presidential and other elections by the All Progressives Congress, APC, as well as the schemes to forcefully take over states already won by the PDP, leading to the supplementary elections.
“Elections are about the will of the people. When you force yourself on the people that is not democracy. Today, Nigerians are unhappy with the way elections were rigged without allowing the will of the people to prevail.”
Responding, Tambuwal said the PDP and the people of Sokoto State were upbeat and fully mobilised to ensure that their will is not subverted.
“We are upbeat as Sokoto State has never been this mobilised. People are praying and fasting by themselves and they are ready once again to ensure that their will is not subverted.
“What happened in the last elections was unimaginable as security agents took over the state. Ballot papers were found with APC members on the streets. The staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, stormed the residences of our members, harassing and intimidating them.
“Even on the day of election, they were going round the polling units and picking up our members. There were open rigging in about six of the local government areas.
“They brought their federal might to bear but the will of the people prevailed against them and we won, yet they declared the election inconclusive.
“So, in Sokoto, they have the will of the people to contend with and given the prayers that our people are offering everyday and their decision to checkmate the rigging of APC, victory is sure to be for us and the PDP,” he said.
