Niger PDP Storms Paiko, Vows to Unseat APC in 2019

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday stormed Paiko town for what it described as “a mega meeting” of its members in the Niger East senatorial and vowed to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s election.

Thousands of party faithful from the nine local government areas that made up the zone attended the mega meeting dressed in special attires sown for the event.

The leadership of the party including former Niger state governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former state and national assembly members, ex-commissioners and local government chairmen were among the party supporters that attended the meeting held at the football field of Paiko Central Primary school.

Some gubernatorial aspirants including Alhaji Hanafi Sudan also attended the event.

All speakers at the forum vowed to unseat the ruling APC at the state and national levels, saying that with the poor performance of the APC at all levels the party had prepared the ground for its defeat in next year’s election.

Addressing the gathering, Aliyu asked eligible adults in the state to ensure they obtain their voters cards which would allow them to cast their ballots in the next elections.

“2019 is the year for PDP we will return to power” Babangida Aliyu said adding that when the party returned to power “it will ensure people are given their rights, no Nigerlite will go to bed hungry”.

Aliyu said despite the defection of some of its members to the ruling APC recently, “our party remains solid and poised for victory next year”.

Also addressing the meeting, the state chairman of the party Alhaji Tanko Beji described those that recently defected to the APC as traitors saying that “when we win election next year and they want to return we will not accept them”.

“We are the party to beat next year” Beji declared adding that the party would be transparent and fair in its decision making policies.

Other speakers at the mega meeting were the former deputy governor of Niger state Dr Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, the north central zone chairman Mr. Theophilus Dakas Shan, and former Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdulhameed Danladi.