PDP will unseat Buhari, APC in 2019 – Sheriff …new Chairman right person to reposition party – Governors

Newly-appointed national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, on Wednesday vowed to lead the party to regain control of the federal government in 2019.

Sheriff said nothing would stop his party, which lost power in 2015, from ousting the current All Progressives Congress' (APC) administration.

Mr. Sheriff is a founding member of the All Progressives Congress.

He defected to the PDP in 2014 ahead of national elections in 2015.

He gave his remarks on Wednesday in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, during a thanksgiving service organised to mark the victory of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the Supreme Court.

The court had on February 3 affirmed Mr. Okezie's victory in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

Mr. Sheriff, a former senator and governor of Borno State, who was named PDP national chairman on Tuesday night, said the PDP would soon come out with its master plan on how it would defeat the All Progressives Congress from power.

'We are here today, we are starting from here, and we are going to Aso Rock, Insha Allah by 2019,' the PDP chairman said.

'We will head from here and we will do it together. This my long cap is prepared to lead my colleagues and brothers to Aso Rock, Insha Allah.

'By the grace of Allah nothing will deter this party from going to Aso Rock in 2019. By the time we put down our master-plan I am sure they (APC) will go back to where they came from. And Insha Allah, nothing will stop us.'

President Muhammadu Buhari has not indicated he would seek a fresh term at the expiration of his office in 2019.

Other PDP governors who attended the event include Nyesome Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and deputy governor of Ebonyi State, who represented the state governor, David Umahi.

The four governors like Mr. Okezie had their elections confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the PDP Governors Forum has expressed confidence in the ability of newly appointed National Chairman of PDP Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, to reposition the party and make it more inclusive.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Coordinator of the forum, Mr Osaro Onaiwu in Abuja on Wednesday.

The governors, according to the statement, said the emergence of Sheriff, ex-governor and senator, was one done after careful deliberation given the battle ahead.

'Sheriff is coming on the job with immense wealth of experience and will no doubt use his vast network to rebuild the party.

'He will restore members' confidence and act as a counterforce to the many antics of the present APC regime.'

The governors urged the new national chairman to avoid all diversionary tactics and work toward uniting all aggrieved members and fashion out modalities to woo new party faithful.

'We urge you to shun all diversionary tactics that might be thrown at you and concentrate on how to bring all aggrieved party members together; as well as fashion out ways to woo new members especially the youths.

'The forum is solidly behind you and will deploy its support to ensure that the shared vision for our party is realised as we prepare for 2019.'

The governors said the situation in the country was an opportunity for Sheriff to show that the PDP remained the only truly national party that could reunite the country.