2019: PDP jittery, already conceding defeat - APC

Ahead of the 2019 presidential elections, the All Progressives Congress, APC, said it was amused by the interest Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has in the mode of election the APC chooses to adopt for primaries to elect its candidates for elections.



Consequently, the ruling party said “with over 13 million registered APC members, coupled with a large section of non-partisan Nigerian electorate supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, it would seem the PDP, on account of its attack of APC’s adoption of direct primaries particularly to elect its presidential candidate, has already conceded defeat, even before the 2019 elections”.

Acting spokesman of the party, Yekini Nabena, said  APC quite understood that the revolutionary and progressive idea of direct primaries to elect party candidates was strange to the PDP which he described as a party known for its inability to ensure internal party democracy and actively promotes imposition of candidates against the will of its members.

“Direct primaries, among others, ensure fairness; creates a level playing ground for contestants; eliminates corrupt tendencies usually associated with the delegates system and ultimately ensure full and direct participation of party members at all levels in the election of party candidates.

“The APC is a progressive party and will continue to implement the Change Agenda promised to Nigerians. We urge Nigerians to continue their support as the President continues to rebuild and reposition the country,” he said.

The APC also “strongly condemned” what it said was the unfortunate attempt by the PDP to politicise President Buhari’s statement on the irregular migration and trafficking of Nigerians during the visit of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

“The PDP in its typical insensitive and unguarded stance on matters affecting the country is exploiting an issue that bothers on the lives of Nigerians (mostly youth). It is a known fact that many Nigerian families have suffered grief as a result of deaths and other inhuman treatment that have befell relatives attempting migration to Europe and other parts of the world.”

APC added that through support of international agreements and efforts towards curbing irregular migration, repatriation of stranded Nigerian migrants and addressing root causes encouraging irregular migration of Nigerians, the President Buhari administration has demonstrated the political will to check the scourge.”