Nigerians will beg us to retake power in 2019 – PDP

Nigeria's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party said Monday that Nigerians would beg it to return to power in 2019.

The National Vice Chairman, South-South zone of the party, Cairo Ojuogbo, stated this in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The PDP ruled the country for 16 years until May 29 when it handed over power to the All Progressives Congress. It lost the March 28 federal election.

Mr. Ojuogbo said his party would return to power because the APC is crisis-ridden, alluding to the disagreement in the ruling party over the National Assembly leadership.

He said the APC does not only lack the capacity to manage the crisis, but that it lacks coordination and ideology.

He stated that a panel headed by a former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi, to work out how the PDP can regain power at the centre during the 2019 general elections had been set up.

The national vice chairman assured that the PDP would win its current battle in the tribunal to keep its victory in Akwa Ibom and Rivers State despite alleged intimidation.

"Rivers and Akwa Ibom State tribunals are sitting in Abuja," Mr. Ojougbo said. "No amount of intimidation will make the PDP lose the elections it won freely and fairly in these states. Any move to rig us out will be resisted."

He restated the PDP's opposition to the appointment of Amina Zakari as the acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He said, "We have said that the appointment of Amina is completely unacceptable to us. The example that ex-President (Goodluck) Jonathan gave should be followed. We know Amina is not apolitical."