PDP will not succumb to APC intimidation - Chairman

Ahead of 2019 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed not to succumb to intimidation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).


Speaking at the PDP South-West Zonal rally at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo, Osun State yesterday, the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the PDP was positioned to take over power from the APC in Ekiti and Osun in the forthcoming guber polls in the two states and at the federal level next year.

Secondus, who disclosed that the PDP was resolved to work harder to win the 2019 general elections, said that the masses were tired of the President Muhammadu Buhari-APC led administration.

He said: “The PDP will win the forthcoming governorship election in Osun, Ekiti and the general elections in 2019. The APC should start packing their load because they cannot win again. And ahead of the election, we will not succumb to any form of intimidation because we are on a mission to rescue the nation.”

Also, the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, stressed the need for members of the party to come together if the PDP will win the 2019 general elections.

He said that the party would do everything possible to “rescue Nigeria from the APC.”

A former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who is a presidential aspirant of the party like Atiku, advised members to start serious work right from now, saying “I know you and you know me, let us prepare for the 2019 general elections.”

Also, Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, said the party was adequately prepared for Ekiti, Osun and 2019 general elections. He said the PDP was prepared to give the ruling APC a good fight in the forthcoming elections.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, who recently defected from the APC in Osun State to the PDP, said that he and his supporters decided to leave the ruling APC because of the party’s “evil policies.”

In attendance were many stalwarts of the party, including former Osun State deputy governor and Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, former Minister of Youth Development, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, former Osun State Speaker, Adejare Bello among others.

In a reaction to PDP’S rally, the APC described it as “an overhyped mega rally and a little better than a town hall meeting.”

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said: “the PDP has promised 15,000 people from Osogbo alone will defect but only two leaders (a business man and a weak politician) and a few korope loads of supporters showed up.

“The Ibadan crowd led by defecting Rasheed Ladoja stole the show. Then one Secondus came all the way from Abuja to Osogbo to declare that the PDP was on a rescue mission. It was all pathetic.

“Those who witnessed 2014 PDP rally will be sorry for the party or what was left of the PDP at today’s rally. The Yoruba nation, if it ever needs deliverance would not look for one from a Secondus.

“The rally which was supposed to be ‘a show of strength’ turned out to be an exhibition of a diminished political party. That’s why they could also attract inconsequential politicians and businessmen.

“Sensible party men in the PDP won’t need to be told that Saturday’s rally was a picture of the defeat that is around the corner for the PDP in Osun come September 22.”