PDP will Return to Power in 2019, Says Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the PDP will in 2019 return to power at the federal level because the All Progressives Congress (APC) has unleashed untold hardship on Nigerians.

Addressing thousands of PDP supporters at the Port Harcourt International Airport after the Supreme Court judgment that validated the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, Wike said the APC’s poor governance has led to mass insecurity across the country and the callapse of the standard of living.

He berated the federal government and APC for plotting to destroy the opposition, stressing that without opposition, there is no democracy.

“We have tested them for two years and Nigerians are suffering. Nigerians are dying and there is insecurity everywhere. It has never been like this.This opposition will lead us to power in 2019.
“Now, we have a government and we have a party that says there will be no opposition. If there is no opposition, there will be no democracy,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to pray for the nation’s judiciary as it is facing its most perilous times as it is under threat and intimidation.

“We owe them the duty to pray for them. What the judiciary is going through, no other arm of government has ever gone through it. Without judiciary, Nigeria is gone, without judiciary, there is no democracy “, he said.

The governor said that Nigerians from all walks of life are celebrating the Supreme Court Judgment and thanking God that PDP is not dead.

“All Nigerians are thanking God that PDP is not dead. The PDP is the only hope for the people”, he said.
He urged PDP supporters to stand firm and continue to work for the growth of the party.
“God has come out to rescue Rivers State and PDP. Nobody can intimidate us,” the governor said.

Onuesoke: Markafi’s Victory Signifies Death of APC

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and Delta State governorship aspirant in 2007 general election, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has predicted that the Supreme Court declaration of Ahmed Markafi’s PDP faction as the authentic leader of the party signifies the death of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria.

Speaking to THISDAY in a telephone chat from Abuja yesterday where he witnessed the decision of the Supreme Court declaring Markafi’s faction as the authentic leader of the party, elated Onuesoke stated that members of APC must be in pains right now, adding that later or sooner their reign will be over.

He argued that considering the apparent failure of APC in governance and the recent judgment, it is glaring that PDP can rise from the ashes and win the 2019 general election.

“I love the Supreme Court decision. Shame APC and its stooge in the PDP-Ali Modu Sheriff! President Muhammadu Buhari must have descended into a deeper situation as a result of this judgment, and most people from the ‘buba’-wearing side must be gnashing their teeth by now. Come 2019, Nigerians are voting out APC, a poverty stricken party of never-do-wells,” he stated.

PDP will Not Pose Threat to APC in 2019, Says Vice Chairman

The newly appointed Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for North-east, Mustapha Salihu, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not pose any danger to the APC in the next general election.
Salihu, who spoke with journalists yesterday when he came to assume duty at the APC secretariat, said despite the Supreme Court judgement which brought to an end the protracted leadership crisis rocking the party, the opposition party still has image crisis to battle with.

He also dismissed petitions against his nomination as the North-east zonal chairman of the party, saying he had the full support of all stakeholders in the zone to represent them at the National Working Committee (NWC).

According to Salihu, although the judgement of the Supreme Court affirmed Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the National Chairman of the PDP, there are still a lot of issues relating to credibility crisis that PDP has to address
He said what is important is not the persons leading the party, but the credibility of the party itself, pointing out that PDP lost credibility when it presided over the gradual destruction of the nation.

Kashamu Congratulates Makarfi, Calls for Unity, Reconciliation

The Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has congratulated the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and members of the committee on the affirmation of their positions by the Supreme Court, saying: “The decision of the apex court is final and there is nothing anyone can do about it.”

In a statement he issued in Lagos yesterday, Kashamu said: “As a firm believer in the rule of law, I am bound to respect the decision of the final court in the land, no matter the reservations.”

The statement reads in part: “I thank the Almighty God for bringing us this far. There will always be disagreements and disputes in any human setting. At times, such disputes may end up in court. It does not mean the end of the world. You win some and lose some. And in this case, there is no victor, no vanquished.”
Salvador, Adewale Hail Judgment

The factional leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State yesterday reacted to the Supreme Court verdict on the leadership crisis in the party, both Messrs Moshood Salvador and Segun Adewale, the two men claiming the chairmanship position hailed the judgment.

Salvador said: “This judgment goes beyond the PDP intra politics but actually a successful surgery on the political stability of Nigeria which has been very volatile as a result of the diabolical attempt by the APC to “kill” the PDP.
“Now that the Supreme Court justices have resurrected the dying political scope, we admonish the APC to see the PDP as senior partner in politics and governance. The experience of PDP as immediate past party in power should be asset to the APC but the APC has remained very hostile to opposition thereby depriving Nigerians of virile opposition for good governance and development. Indeed the Supreme Court has saved the nation from being a one party state.”
On his part, Adewale said the party remains solid in Lagos.

“The verdict of the Supreme Court is to me a ‘no victor, no vanquished’ situation. It is a victory for democracy and for the Nigerian people. The fact that this great party stood through this most difficult and challenging times with the preponderance of its members and structures across the country still intact speaks volumes of the strong ideology that binds us together as a family.”

We will Deliver Party in 2019, Say Oborevwori, Agbadagba

Following the victory of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Supreme Court yesterday, the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, wednesday predicted landslide victory for the party in the state.

The Speaker, while playing host to members of the state PDP who stormed his official residence in Asaba to rejoice with him on the victory of the party at the Supreme Court, said: “We will deliver PDP in 2019. We have done it before and we will even do it better in the next general election.

“This victory we are celebrating today is a sign of good things to come for our great Party in 2019. The party is doing well and I am sure of landslide victory for the party in 2019. Delta is a PDP state,” he said.

According to him, “Governor Okowa is working, the Smart Agenda is a reality. The victory that we are going to get in 2019 is going to be better than that of 2015. Now that we have won at the Supreme Court, let us remain united as one big family. We are sure of Victory in 2019, that is what I can assure you.

“Those that left the party for one reason or the other and those affected by the judgment of the Supreme Court should come back to our great party. I want to appeal to our governor who is the leader of the party in the state and the party chairman to accept those who left the party back. The party is big enough for everybody,” Speaker Oborevwori said.

The Vice Chairman, PDP Delta South, Emmanuel Agbadagba, while speaking during the visit described the judgment as a sweet victory for the party.

According to him, “We are all happy today because this is a welcome development for our party. The judgment is a victory for democracy in our country.”

Niger PDP Commends Judgment
The Niger State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the judgement of the Supreme Court which affirmed the national leadership of the party on Senator Ahmed Makarifi faction of the party.

In a statement signed by the state Chairman, Tanko Beji, in Minna yesterday, he praised the courage of the Supreme Court Justices, saying: “they (Justices) have not allowed extraneous influence to determine their decision.
“The Supreme Court Justices have again confirmed that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man in this country.”

He also praised the teeming supporters of the party in the state for “remaining steadfast and focused while the legal battle lasted”.

He added “It is time for the rebuilding of our great party and as such all hands must be on deck.
“We must now come together and remain united because the battle ahead is tasking”.

He urged party faithful who went with Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to return home because the umbrella is big enough for everyone.

“As far as we are concerned, there is no victor no vanquish in this long drawn legal battle.”

Judgment will Deepen Democracy, Says Moro

Former Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has described yesterday’s Supreme Court judgment in favour of the Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) as a decision that will deepen democratic system in the country.

Moro, who said this in a telephone conversation with journalists, lauded the judiciary for proving to be the bastion of hope for the ordinary Nigerians.

He said the judgement represents the interest of Nigerians, maintaining that it is a victory for PDP.
“It is a case of PDP against PDP, so it is a no victor, no vanquish judgement,” Moro said.