The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is optimistic of victory in 2023, in spite of the defection of some governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus stated this while reacting to the defection of Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamafara to APC in Abuja.
“The APC is going after our governors, while we are going after the masses of the country.
“The governors have one vote, but we are after the people, the masses, the people.
“The masses are solidly behind us. The masses are for the PDP and we stand here to state clearly that we shall form this new government come 2023 because of the masses and not because of the governors,” he said.
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Secondus said most of the governors left the PDP for fear of intimidation.
He said the party was however, happy that most of the masses in their states especially in Zamfara did not leave with them.
“From all indications, Matawalle has lost memory of how he came to become the governor of Zamfara.
“Matawalle needs to be reminded that no law allows him to cross over to any other party with the statutory mandate given to PDP through the ballot box.
“As already established, the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the standing judgment of the Supreme Court is unambiguous on who owns the mandate.
“A combined reading of Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution as the pronouncements of the Supreme Court in Faleke v. INEC (2016) is clear.
“It is clear in holding that it is the political party that stands for election, that votes scored in election belong to the political party and that the candidate nominated to contest at an election by his party, acts only as the agent of his party.”
Secondus cautioned the state lawmakers, not to allow themselves to be pushed into losing their seats by defecting to APC.
“There is no division in the PDP to warrant defection of any of our lawmakers.
“The PDP hopes that Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara will take caution,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the dissolution of the state executive committee of the party by the NWC in line with the provision of Section 29 (2)(b) of the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended).(NAN)