2019: PDP chieftain says South West strategic to party

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said on Monday that the South West was strategic to the party’s “inevitable victory” in the upcoming general elections.

Ologbondiyan made the announcement when leaders of the Federation of South West Professionals in Politics paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

He said that the South West remained a major support base for the party, saying that the party would never treat matters concerning the zone with levity.

According to him, the party holds leaders and party members in the zone in high esteem, stressing that the value of the zone to the PDP cannot be dismissed.

He said that efforts being made for the stability and growth of the party were commendable and that the party was re-positioning to re-take power.

“The difference in votes won by the APC and our great party in the South West was very minimal, that shows that PDP commands genuine followership of voters in the zone.”

Ologbondiyan said that in Lagos State, the home of the national leader of the APC, the PDP won six House of Representatives seats and nine state assembly seats.

He said the PDP had continued to get majority support of the voting population in Ekiti and that the party’s structure in the South West remained formidable.

The publicity secretary claimed that in Oyo, Ogun and Ondo States, the party was waxing stronger and that its victory at the last senatorial election in Osun West showed that the PDP would retake the state.

“There is no way the PDP will treat such a zone that is so strategic and known for progressive politics with levity.

“It is therefore, imperative to emphasise that the PDP holds the South West in great respect and we will continue to work with the leaders of the zone and those of other zones to ensure a clear victory in 2019,” the party chieftain said.

On the ongoing reconciliation in the PDP, Ologbondiyan said that the effort had been yielding dividends, adding that the party had emerged stronger from its challenges.

He commended PDP governors, other elected officials and appointed leaders as well as party faithful for their commitment to the party.

Earlier, the national convener of the organisation, Dr Olu Bamidele, commended the PDP leadership for achieving rapid re-positioning and re-branding of the party.

Bamidele commended the party for its moves to ensure total reconciliation in its fold, particularly in the South West.

He lauded what he described as the PDP’s constructive opposition, saying that Nigerians were looking up to the party to salvage the nation from the government of the APC.