The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Adamu Mu’azu, last week declared that his party will reclaim the four states it lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mu’azu, in a statement by his press secretary, Tony Amadi, also said the desperation of the APC to win the 2015 elections had led to the stoppage of most ongoing projects, particularly in Kano, Rivers, Kwara and Sokoto states.
The states that were lost to the APC through defection of their governors include Kano, Sokoto, Kwara, Adamawa and Rivers.
But Adamawa State was reclaimed by PDP through the impeachment of the former governor, Murtala Nyako.
The statement said the PDP was determined to claim back the states lost to carpet crossing and win all those states that had the potential for economic growth.
It noted that Zamfara gave President Jonathan a tumultous reception and Kano was unbelievable in the quality crowds that attended the presidential campaign.
Continuing he said, “PDP has shown that it is not only the party to beat in the forthcoming elections, but it is also the party that will transform the nation into a developed country.
“Following the day light hijack of the five states, Adamawa is back but the remaining four including Zamfara State will return to the PDP after the April 11 elections because their governors have used up their treasury to prop the presidential bid of their party.
“The governors of the five states left the PDP for over a year and seven months using the PDP manifesto to try and prop up their new allegiance to the APC.
“Unfortunately for their new party and their desperation to become the ruling party, they have made little or no progress, thus leaving their states impoverished as they concentrate on spending their state’s meager resources to support their party’s presidential election bid instead of providing dividends of democracy to the people.
“In Sokoto state no new project has been started or completed since Governor Maigatakarda Wammako switched to the APC. His Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari who remained in the PDP has complained severally to the National Chairman that the people of Sokoto are being shortchanged because of lack of active governance in the state.
“The same goes for Rivers State, where the mono rail venture of the state government has become a white elephant project while other infrastructure projects started when he was in the PDP has virtually been abandoned. Ditto to various abandoned road projects in the state capital and beyond. Before his defection, Amaechi and Akwa Ibom Governor Akpabio were involved in a healthy PDP-induced competition as some of the richest state Chief Executives and both governors revelled in the healthy competition.
“While Akwa Ibom has not only overtaken Rivers in the provision of democratic dividends, the quality of governance in Akwa Ibom state has outstripped those of Rivers State. If you take the stadia the two governors built in their respective states for comparison it is easy to find the one looking more solid and of international quality. While Akpabio’s Uyo Stadium is a pride to behold, it is also of international standard.
“Amaechi’s stadium hasn’t got the quality as in most APC controlled states where thepenchant for poor quality output is well known. Talk about states and infrastructure development and you find that every PDP state has got an airport no matter the size of its federation account.
“The poorer states like Taraba and Kebbi have managed to put together magnificent airports. Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi started and finished under PDP administrations, its sheer quality and the new airport at Dutse in Jigawa state where Governor Sule Lamido has done wonders and you can begin to appreciate how PDP states are fastest in development.
“Bauchi has the Tafawa Balewa Airport with all the attributes of an international airport. PDP states are known for their fast-tracked development.
“In comparison, APC states like Zamfara don’t even have a helipad let alone an airport while Yobe have none but its neigbhour, Gombe, a PDP state has an airport. If the PDP controlled federal administration had folded its hands there would be no university in Zamfara state until President Goodluck Jonathan built a Federal University for the state.
“The APC administration in Zamfara, have no desire of building an airport not even air strip there, making it difficult for investment to come to the state. It is another ample reason why Nigerians should remain with PDP at all levels to have the chance of transformation in all sectors of the 36 states’ economies.”
