PDP: Atiku’s Poll Victory Will Be Synonymous to Shagari’s in 1979

•Projects to win North-east, North-west, North-central, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Delta; looks to come second in other states

•Charges members to wait, take pictures after voting  

•Expresses worry over abandoned PVCs

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

A few hours to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Council (PCC) has declared that the victory of its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would be akin to that of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) presidential candidate in 1979, the late President Shehu Shagari.

The PDP campaign council also predicted victory for its candidate in the North-east, North-west, and some states in the North-central zones. It projected clear wins in Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Delta states, while looking at a close race in Cross Rivers State.

In the South-west zone, PDP projected that Atiku would win in Oyo and Osun states, and come second in other states of the zone.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, Director, Voter Intelligence and Strategy of the PDP PCC, Chief Osita Chidioka, said, “Available facts and intelligence showed that the presidential election would be replica of what happened in 1979, when Shagari won a tight race.

“Atiku, like Shagari, will win in the North-east, North-west and some states in the North-central, like Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kwara, and will come second in other states.

“In the South-east, where Atiku will not win, he will come second. In the South-south, our flag bearer will come first in Bayelsa State, Rivers State, Edo State, Delta State and Akwa State. For Cross River State, if Atiku did not win, he will come second.

“In the South-west, Atiku will win in Oyo and Osun states and come second in other states of the zone,” Chidioka disclosed.

He charged PDP supporters to come out en masse on Saturday and vote the presidential candidate and also ensure that the votes were counted in their presence. He urged the party’s supporters to take pictures of the results displaced at the poling units to enable the campaign council compare notes at their collation centres.

According to Chidioka, “INEC has also made it easy by providing various means to find your polling units before election day. You can find your polling unit by sending an SMS containing your name, state and last six digits of your VIN to 09062850860, 09062830861. Another way of confirming your polling unit is by visiting the INEC website, www.cvr.inecnigeria.org

“It is important to note a few things on election day: get to your PU early to ensure you can join the queue and go through the process. Ensure that the agent of our party is around and has confirmed that the BVAS is working properly. Ensure that the agent confirmed the BVAS was set at 0000 before the start of elections at your polling unit.

“In the unlikely event that the BVAS at your polling unit malfunctions, INEC has provided backup machines, which can be delivered by the RATECH to your ward.

“After elections, ensure the picture of the form ECSA is taken and uploaded to the INEC site using the BVAS before leaving the polling unit. Also, take pictures of the Form EC 60 result sheet pasted on the board or wall of your polling unit as a way to prevent the manipulation of results. As a party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is ready for the 2023 elections.”

Chidioka explained that the party had spent time and resources training all its agents across the 176,847 polling units, adding, “We have also trained all the agents in the 8,809 wards and 774 local governments.

“We have campaigned across the length and breadth of the nation, and not just spoken to Nigerians about what our plans are, but listened to you to tell us what problems you want us to solve for you.

“Our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, both know the pains ordinary Nigerians are going through because of the ruinous and poorly implemented policies. We, as a team, are ready and willing to work to ensure a better country for us all.”

The Director of Voter Intelligence and Strategy said PDP in the 2023 election cycle introduced two innovations that were worthy of mention and celebration.

He stated, “First, the presidential candidate and the National Assembly candidates committed to an irrevocable pledge to deliver the following outcomes to the Nigerian people: improving transparency and accountability across the whole government. We will make the Freedom of Information Act a functional law again.

“Drastically reduce the cost of government through improving citizen oversight and a strong emphasis on curbing waste and cost reduction. Reduce multidimensional poverty by 40 per cent over the next four years and put food on the tables of Nigerians again.

“Reduce our unsustainable national debts and raise investments in education and infrastructure by incrementally increasing budgetary allocation. Ensure quick passage of bills that devolve more powers to subnational governments.”

Chidioka tasked INEC to find solutions and answers to viral videos showing abandoned PVCs, saying the party is worried.