The People Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a temporary one, that he would soon replace.
Atiku expressed optimism that he would reclaim his stolen mandate at the court.
He congratulated all the newly elected governors and members of the National Assembly reminding them there is a great task ahead of them particularly the process of reclaiming the PDP mandate at the court.
According to him, based on the results announced by the INEC and pending the determination of electoral challenges in the court, the PDP members elected are not the majority in the National Assembly.
He said, “So, for the time being, they have to prepare to work as an effective, constructive opposition while also preparing for possible roles of the majority party when the cases are resolved, a government in waiting, so to speak.”
Atiku spoke at a special retreat organised for newly-elected PDP members in Bauchi at the weekend.
Atiku said, “In the recently concluded elections, our party campaigned on specific things, Nigerians are therefore expecting you to work on how to fulfil those campaign promises.
That you are not among the INEC selected members is not an excuse not to perform, you must collectively work to put the temporary government in the right direction to serve Nigerians. Don’t be part of a rubber stamp.”
“As you know, the PDP remains the only political party that is led by all its members, not a political party that is led by a few political godfathers. No one individual or group of people is bigger than the party in the PDP.
You are representatives of the party, do not be tempted to leave your party just because of an INEC induced temporary setback. In the end, the truth shall triumph over falsehood and evil.
“Therefore, you must please remain resolute, do not work in isolation from one another, you are a team and should always work together as a team in order to achieve meaningful results and also remain connected to your roots, your constituents and other stakeholders.”
He said the PDP like any other party, is a living organism “living continuously building its existence, let us therefore continue to build it.”
He reminded them that the people need security, economic growth and development, educational revival, millions of jobs and decent wages and told them not to forget that the people need to be unified to face the challenges of nation building.
“Retreat such as this, is like a meeting you will have with someone or a group about to embark on a very important journey or mission. It is to discuss what we expect from the journey,” he added.
In his speech, acting national chairman of PDP, Umar Illiya Damagun accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of undermining the nation’s Electoral Act during the conduct of the 2023 general election in the country.
Damagum said with the new Electoral Act in place, Nigerians were convinced that the just- concluded general election would be free, fair and transparent in its conduct.
He congratulated the PDP for the successes it recorded during the 2023 general elections despite multifarious electoral challenges, saying “the 2023 general elections will perhaps go down the memory lane as the worst conducted exercise.”
He said, “Nigerians had been given hope that the 2023 general elections will be free and fair following the passage into law of the electoral act which made provision for the deployment of technology to make the process more transparent”.
The PDP acting national chairman noted that the combination of BVAS and electronic transmission of results was to ensure seamless accreditation and transmission of results but INEC simply chose to undermine the processes.
The party chairman, while describing the 2023 political journey of the party as a very crucial period in history, said how the stakeholders navigate around it would determine the progress of the party in the near future.
Damagum stated, “Let me also assure you of the party’s support all the way, during the litigation sojourn, we will leave no stone unturned to reclaim our mandate that has been lost during the 2023 general elections.”
He added, “We have done well in this election, we know it and we have the responsibility to mobilise like-minded people to build a party that will be responsive to the aspirations of Nigerians.”
The party’s acting national chairman stated that PDP organised transparent and credible primaries which produced all its candidates for the elections.
Speaking on the issue of National Assembly leadership, the party chairman said the PDP being an opposition must work as a family in order to remain relevant. “Every system is as strong as its members, the PDP’s resilience is once more tested here, the growth of the party going forward is in the hands of all of us seated in this hall,” he said.
Damagum therefore called on stakeholders to uphold party discipline, support the party and also make sure that at all cost, be there for the party, saying that their actions and inactions have consequences for the future of the party.