Though the party lost most of its strongholds to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 28 March election, losing its majority in the National Assembly in the process, sources told Sunday Tribune that the PDP plans to maintain its hold on the 21 states it currently controls.
The party lost the presidential and National Assembly elections in states regarded as its traditional strongholds, including Kwara, Benue, Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara and Katsina on 28 March.
Sources close to the party, however, confirmed at the weekend that some strategic meetings held during the week have identified key issues in each of the states.
It was learnt that the party’s chapters in the respective states had been asked to implement the procedures already identified, to ensure victory for the governorship candidates in the 11 April election.
Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom State, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum had told State House correspondents after a visit to President Goodluck Jonathan that his colleagues had resolved to hold on to their states.
It was learnt that the governors believed that the revival of the PDP would be more difficult, if they lost the states currently under their control.
“The defeat of our party at the polls in March is seen as a temporary setback. But we can only ensure that by maintaining our ground and stalling the tsunami orchestrated by the APC. Once that is done, the PDP revival project won’t be a difficult task,” a source said, adding that the meeting between the president and the PDP governors also x-rayed the tasks ahead.
The source stated that part of the decision the PDP had taken was to ensure the fall of strategic states like Lagos, Kano, Rivers and Kwara, adding that with concerted efforts by all and sundry, victory is possible.
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