Ishaku, Dankwambo hopeful of PDP’s victory in 2019

• Adeniran, George receive support in Gombe, Taraba

Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general election.

Dankwambo, who spoke while receiving the campaign team of Prof. Tunde Adeniran, one of the Southwest national chairmanship aspirants for the PDP national convention scheduled for December 9, in his office said the APC has shown lack of capacity to organise itself internally not to talk of putting the country in shape.

While lamenting that the challenges of Nigerians and Nigeria have taken the worse turn under the leadership of the APC just in two years and seven months, the governor wondered what the fortune of the country would become if the ruling party is allowed to continue to sail its ship beyond 2019.

Also expressing similar concern about the fate of Nigeria, while also receiving Adeniran’s team on Wednesday, Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State called on all PDP members across the country to set aside personal interest and place that of Nigeria ahead, which according to him is the only way through which the party can triumph over the ruling APC in 2019.

Also in Gombe yesterday, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP and a chairmanship aspirant, Chief Olabode George, was received by an enthusiastic crowd that kept shouting, “Bode George Mukeso,” meaning Bode George is the one we want. George’s visit to Gombe was part of his efforts to reach out to the PDP leaders across the country.

Ishaku extolled the virtues of Prof. Adeniran as a man of high integrity, with huge track record of loyalty and commitment to the ideals of the party.

The governor urged PDP members to avoid giving the opportunity to anyone but Adeniran, saying, “I know the pains of being a leader and that is why we must push for the best candidate, somebody that will bring the desired hope for Nigerians. What PDP needs now is a man with character, a man of courage, a man with the capacity to galvanize all and sundry.”

Ishaku insisted that the only party that is well developed in Nigeria is the PDP as it brings everyone together and that is what Nigerians are itching for today because you can’t sweep away everything you used your hand and time to create. Therefore, the APC’s broom is never an option.

Meanwhile, Dankwambo expressed gratitude that the PDP is lucky to have the array of credible aspirants coming out to contest for its national chairmanship, but he was quick to add that the leadership of the party must ensure the emergence of a credible and loyal person as its next national chairman.

Dankwambo, who is one of the two PDP governors in the north, said he is proud of Adeniran’s team, which contains timber and caliber in the Nigeria’s politics.

Responding on behalf of the delegation, Prof. Jerry Gana thanked the respective governors for according the team warm receptions in their various states.

Gana posited that what Nigeria needs now is men and women of integrity that would find a new path for its greatness and prosperity.

Extolling the contributions of George to the PDP since it was founded in 1998, one of the party stalwarts in Gombe, Alhaji Dore Jagafar said the leadership of the party must remain resolute of ensuring the best candidate emerged as the national chairman.

According to Jagafar, a tested hand and a man of demonstrated vision and excellence like George could only reposition the party.

Jagafar referred to George as the epitome of the most experienced, the most tested and proven of all the aspirants.

George in his response said Nigeria itself requires a virile opposition, a strengthened oppositional platform that will help ensure the endurance and the sustainability of the nascent democracy.

He insisted that the nation could only be halted from the current drift when all the genuine stakeholders of the PDP ensure that fairness, equity, and justice prevail.

However, there seems to be a general consensus even in the north that the most crucial area the PDP needed to concentrate its efforts is the Southwest ahead of the 2019 elections.

This may have informed the reasons the northern zone is trying to throw its weight behind the aspirants from the area.

According to one of the party’s stakeholders, “The reason the chairmanship of the PDP should go to the Southwest and no other place is because the zone is going to be the battle field.”

When contacted for comments, the 2015 governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who is also interested in the national chair said the issue at hand is not about personal ambition or a do-or die affair but the utmost interest should be Nigeria and the party.

While he declined comment on his chances or the intrigues surrounding the election, Agbaje said, “The best candidate would definitely emerge as the PDP’s national chairman based on the discretions of its leaders and the delegates to the national convention.”