The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday kicked off its national campaign for the 2019 general election in Sokoto State, Northwest zone of the country with the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus declaring that the mission to rescue Nigeria has begun in Sokoto.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of jubilant supporters drawn from the seven states of the zone – Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna states – at the Shehu Kangiwa Square, Sokoto, Prince Secondus said that President Muhammadu Buhari had failed the people woefully.
The National Chairman said that the PDP had chosen a credible and experienced presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abuabakar, and his running mate, Peter Obi, to lead the rescue mission.
In a statement from his media office signed by his media Adviser Ike Abonyi, Prince Secondus who is also the chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party, said that the performance record of the presidential candidate and his running mate is reassuring that Nigeria will be in good hands from 2019.
“Atiku has what it takes to turn the economy around, create jobs for our teeming youths and unite the country”
He warned that Nigerians had turned their back on the APC and President Buhari as can be seen by the people of Sokoto and the North West states.
Prince Secondus warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies not to undermine the country by attempting to rig the election.
The high points of the rally was the presentation of the party flag to the presidential candidate, his running mate and the Sokoto State gubernatorial candidate and the governor of the state Aminu Tambuwal.
Top PDP leaders from the zone, former presidential aspirants Rabiu Kwankwaso from Kano, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna, Taminu Turaki of Kebbi were among the political heavyweights who addressed the rally.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his deputy Namadi Sambo also addressed the crowed and urged them to dump APC because the PDP candidate has all the experience to turn the country around for good.
The Speaker of the House Of Representatives Hon. Yakubu Dogara said Nigeria should be grateful to democracy for providing the opportunity for the people to make changes when things are not going well.
He said that he and some other Nigerians fought for change in 2015 but have since realized that the change was not forthcoming, hence the decision to dump the APC for PDP.
The Senate President and the Director General of Campaign, Senator Bukola Saraki, urged the people of the Northwest to lead the way in the mission of rescuing the country.
The high points of the zonal rally was unique prayer offered by the PDP presidential candidate Atiku, at the graveside of the father of the Caliphate Mallam Usman Dan Fodio.
The prayer was symbolic as the tomb is hardly accessible even to incumbent presidents.