*As Akpabio delivers zone for Buhari, self
Presidential Candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday election Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, relying on what he calls PDP technology, has said he is sure of victory.
Atiku, collaborating another PDP’s chieftain Femi Fani-Kayode’s earlier, spoke barely 72 hours after a warning was sent across to Nigerians that PDP had resolved to use the Trump’s tactics of engaging posting fake poll results around to weaken supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari, which, according to the warning, was how Trump weakened democrat supporters in United States from pushing on to protect their votes for Hillary Clinton.
The DEFENDER had reported Fani-Kayode says Atiku was sweeping the South West, South East and North Central even as President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Abia North Senatorial Zone of Abia State where the former Governor of the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu also won as senatorial candidate of APC. Senator Godswill Akpabio also won his senatorial district for President Muhammadu Buhari and himself as senatorial candidate.
Atiku in a statement thanked Nigerians for turning out to vote for him in their millions and confirmed that the initial indications from the PDP’s Simultaneous Vote Count show a PDP victory is assured.
The statement said with the PDP’s high tech, cloud-based SVC system – which is able to collate in real-time the results from the 176,000 voting points across the nation – the Presidential candidate could boldly assure his supporters that victory was at hand.
Checks have however fingered Atiku’s party in the violence attacks that were recorded in Rivers, Oyo and Bayelsa states where five persona had reportedly been killed.
Only Saturday after conclusion of the voting exercise, the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation called for security alerts as PDP had started recruiting thugs to attacks Ward and Local Government elections results collation centres.
But Atiku’s statement said: “With strong shares of vote in SS, SE as well as an increased share in SW and NC we are very pleased with the progress the PDP has made. We look forward to sharing some exciting news in other parts of the country very soon, which will confound all the armchair pundits.
“The people of Nigeria can take solace that very soon the living Nightmare of the last four years will come to an end so that together we will get Nigeria working again.”
“The PDP Presidential candidate urged Nigerians on the need to maximise their eternal vigilance in the next 48 hours to prevent the majority votes recorded at the polling units being disrupted by force by the APC at the collation centres.
“I am familiar with how brazen and the complete lack of shame the APC can exhibit, but even I was shocked to witness just how low they went last night by accusing the PDP of ‘recruiting armed thugs’ to do just that. Why would we want to do that when we are winning?”
“Furthermore I would like to say how proud I was of PDP supporters who conducted themselves so peacefully despite the significant provocations and threats of violence, removal and burning of ballot boxes and the likes.”
The statement also thanked the security forces and election officials who in the main conducted their duties with exemplary professionalism but tasked General Buhari on his promise of a free and fair election.
“General Buhari you have promised our people and the world that you would conduct ‘free, fair and credible elections’ so please call off the wilder elements within your party and deliver on your promise”, he stated.
