“In 2019, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will produce the president. If we emerge victorious at the federal level, all of us will be the beneficiaries…”
Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has expressed optimism his new political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will win the 2019 presidential election.
READ ALSO: Cleric predicts Saraki’ll win 2019 presidential election
Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara State, while addressing ward and local government delegates, including old and new members of the PDP in the state, at a harmonisation meeting, Saraki said “the future is better and brighter than the past,” as he promised to ensure cohesion between the old and new party members in the state.
While declaring that he has no anointed candidate in the forthcoming elections in the state, Saraki assured PDP members that he would only support the best and most popular candidates among the people.
He, therefore, warned party elders and other stakeholders against dropping his name during the contest.
He said: “In 2019, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will produce the president. If we emerge victorious at the federal level, all of us will be the beneficiaries. In the state, with your support we will win the state too. All of you here are key players in Kwara politics. With unity of purpose, no party can contest with you.
READ ALSO: 23 Kwara lawmakers defect to PDP
“We are here to unite all of us under the party we belong to, today. I’m assuring all members that there will be equity, internal democracy and justice. It’s not going to be winner-takes-all. As far as I’m concerned, everybody here, today, belongs to our political structure. There is nothing like old or new PDP. We’ve all become one PDP.
“There is nobody here who will not say one way or the other we’ve not been together before. I’m very sure the future is bigger and brighter than the past. I want all of us to be united for the progress and development of Kwara State. Where we are today, as far as I’m concerned, all of you belong to me. As par the politics of the state, nobody can wrest the power from us if we are united. By the grace of God, in the forthcoming elections, we will emerge victorious, both at the federal and state levels.
“We’ll ensure we work as one party, because we have always worked together before. We’ll see that in all wards and local governments, popular candidates emerge, based on their popularity and acceptability.
“I want to emphasis that I don’t have any anointed candidate at all levels. I don’t have candidates for state Assembly; it is the person you want in your constituency that I will okay. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you that I’ve endorsed any candidate.
READ ALSO: What 91 political parties are not saying
“I implore party leaders and elders not to drop my name to impose unpopular candidates. I don’t have candidates for the National Assembly. All of us will collectively choose who becomes the next governor. There will be equity, internal democracy and justice.
“We’ll ensure there is no faction, but one PDP. We’ll ensure that meetings in the local government areas take place in one venue. And we’ll all work together in the interest of the party.
“I want to assure you all that, as far as I am concerned, everybody belongs to one PDP family, and there is no favouritism of one man over the other. I know that when we defected, many of your leaders entertained fear that once I come, we’ll take over everything, but there is nothing like that.
“Please go back home to start the work. I’m sure many more will come back and join us because those who left, left under the wrong assumption that it will be different from what it used to be.
“They were misled that those coming are out to chase them away. Nobody is moving you away because this place belongs to you, too. Let us go back and work closely together, and by the grace of God, we will all be victorious.”