2015: PDP must win 26 states, Tukur insists

[PeoplesDaily]

By Lawrence Olaoye

National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, at the weekend challenged its members across the country to brace up for the delivery of at least 26 states of the federation to the party in the 2015 general elections.

Tukur threw the challenge to party members while receiving party stakeholders from Adamawa state led by Senator Grace Bent and Senator Abubakar Umar Gada who met him in Abuja

The Chairman who was commenting on the recent victory of the party in the recent State House of Assembly bye-election in Mayo-Belwa state constituency in Adama said "I seize this opportunity to appeal to our members not only in Adamawa, but in the entire federation of Nigeria to start bracing up for future challenges of delivering not less than 26 states to PDP. We have the wherewithal to do this and we shall do it without recourse to foul play. We will all work hard for it"

According to Tukurs, the party victory over its closest rival, Na Kowa Party's candidate, penultimate Saturday, exited not only the party leadership but the also President Goodluck Jonathan.

The candidate of the PDP, Umar Abdulkarim, had won overwhelming votes during the election as he trounced the Na Kowa Party's candidate, Umar Kaugama with total votes of 12, 040 against 7, 840 which the opposition party got.

Tukur said the outcome of the bye-election had reflected the capacity of PDP to always win election under a free, fair and transparent atmosphere, just as he thanked President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP members in Adamawa and Mayo-Belwa for ensuring the party's victory during the election.

The PDP National Chairman said the outcome of the election had clearly indicated that members of the party in Adamawa and indeed, the entire electorate in the state are now more prepared to take their destinies in their hands by voting the candidate of their choice during the election.

He said he was particularly impressed that the bye-election went peacefully without a hitch such that voters in the local government shunned all entreaties from money bags in high quarters to compromise them for selfish motive.

Tukur said, "the Mayo-Belwa election had shown that our people are getting matured more and more on election matters. I now believe that the era where money bags had the free will to buy votes is over. My people in Adamawa had spoken and spoken aloud that their votes are a powerful instrument which really counts.

"We knew that the opponents tried spiritedly including floating phoney political parties to confuse the people.

"We knew how desperate politicians moved stealthily day and night to buy votes. And now, we are happy that the voters acted maturely and firmly in rejecting fresh attempts to mortgage their future. This, I can say, is making Mr President to be happy, so also we in the National Working Committee of the PDP," he said.

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