The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, on Thursday, said that no single person or group of people can control the party.
He said this while addressing party loyalists and candidates who attended the Atiku/Okowa campaign rally, held at ancient Mapo hall in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The rally was attended by the PDP Vice Presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, former Vice President Namadi Sambo; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and former National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, among others.
However, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and the Deputy National Chairman (South), who mobilised all their loyalists and the party candidates in the state for the rally was conspicuously absent at the event.
Speaking during the rally, the party’s national chairman, Ayu said,
“In the last one year, the National Working Committee of our leadership has worked tirelessly to make sure that the party returns to the people. No single person or group of people can control this party as long as we do what the people want.
“We are the most strengthened today that the party is truly controlled by the ordinary people. Those who are not sure are now sure that this is the party that will survive after the election. There will be no APC in Nigeria. It will disappear from the surface of Nigeria’s air and go back to the small parties they were,” he stated.
While who also commended Makinde for mobilising the people for the rally said,
“Seyi Makinde is a strong PDP member. He is a member of the family and in the family sometimes, you have disagreements, and sometimes you will have people who are not happy.
“I, as a father of all PDP in Nigeria, I am calling on all our aggrieved members to come back home.”
He was therefore optimistic that the party candidates would sweep the elections at all levels.
The presidential candidate, Atiku in his speech also thanked Makinde, party candidates and loyalists in the state for ensuring that the rally was well organised.
He promised to restructure Nigeria and give autonomy to both states and local governments if elected.
He said,
“This is not the Nigeria of our dream. That is not what Nigeria’s PDP left in 2015. APC has destroyed this nation. But there is hope for tomorrow and that hope lies in you by voting for PDP back to power.”
