By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu
has assured that the party is on course with the timetable and guidelines for 2023 General Elections as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ayu, who gave the assurance on Monday night at the PDP’s National Caucus meeting in Abuja, explained that the party’s National Working Committee was working round the clock to ensure that it keeps to the timetable issued by INEC.
His words, “We are very much on course and this meeting is for us to look at our own timetable and guidelines.
“We are determined that we will keep strictly to the guideline in spite the short time that is available to us. We will keep to this timeline.
“We are sure that by next year, we will win most seats in the National Assembly and most importantly produce the next president.
“We urge Nigerians not lose hope. We are coming and we will rebuild this country,” he said.
Notwithstanding the challenges facing the PDP, Ayu said that the party had continued to make progress including winning, in recent elections, at the FCT Area Councils Election and by-elections in Cross River, Ondo and Imo.
“We are making steady progress and I believe that with time we will take over everywhere,” he said.
The PDP National Chairman and former Senate President pointed out that serious issues would be discussed at the meeting, adding that the PDP NWC was working with stakeholders to resolve whatever problems within the party.
According to him, “That also brings me to crisis in other states’ chapters. We are to conduct congresses in state chapters that we did not have congresses before.
“Whatever problem that may have arisen from those congresses, we are addressing them and we hope that by the time we resolve everything, the party will be stronger than ever before,” he said.
Speaking at the meeting also, the Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said the recent elections were reflections of expected victory in 2023, urging members of the national caucus to bury their differences.
In the words of Tambuwal, “I appeal that we all, as leaders and members of this great party, must bury our differences and work together harmoniously.
“We must give the right signal to Nigerians, that we are united and ready to rescue this country,” he said.
Similarly, the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Sen. Walid Jibrin, appealed to the party leaders not to abandon the old party members, while welcoming those retuning after defecting to other parties.
Jibrin described the meeting as critical to enable the party make important decisions.
