Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be democratic “for the first time” if it loses the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.
He said the ruling party should take a cue from former president Goodluck Jonathan who in 2015 accepted defeat and congratulated his opponent, Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku stated this in Ekiti when he visited Governor Ayodele Fayose. He was accompanied by the members of the PDP governorship campaign council.
He also said the preparedness of the PDP for the election is satisfactory.
“We are satisfied that the Peoples Democratic Party is prepared for this election,” the former VP said.
“We hope that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will accept the outcome of the election.
“They should be democratic for the first time. We have seen how democratic they are, but for the first time in 2015, we have the opposition party taking over from the ruling party, we expect them to do the same.”
Those in Atiku’s delegation included the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; former Senate President David Mark; former governor of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau; former governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel; and a senator from Abia, Eyinnaya Abaribe.
‘We’ll win’
Fayose also expressed confidence in PDP’s victory in the election and vowed that the Ekiti people will defend their votes.
He said, “They (PDP leaders) are here because they know that PDP has won this election. Everyone is on the same page with us.
“We are looking forward to observers from all over the world because I am the voice they want to suppress. We are prepared for the election and we are going to win.”
The incumbent Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Kolapo Olusola is the PDP flag bearer in the election while the immediate former governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi is the APC governorship aspirant.
Fayemi recently resigned as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development after he emerged winner of the APC governorship primary election in Ekiti.