The Senate Minority Leader, Mrs Abiodun Olujimi, on Tuesday said that the defeat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State in the last general elections was a temporary setback.
Olujimi told newsmen in Ado Ekiti that internal wrangling among PDP members and manipulations by rivals accounted for the poor outing of the party in the state.
She, however, expressed optimism that the party would soon reclaim its leadership position as well as its dominance on the state’s political scene.
Olujimi, a former deputy governor and one-time member of the House of Representatives, currently represents Ekiti North Senatorial District.
According to her, the PDP has put behind it the electoral loss and is determined to take over state through democratic means in 2022.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the electoral posts in the state, including the three Senate seats, six House of Representatives seats and the 26 State Assembly seats.
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Olujimi argued that that the APC-led government in the state had already failed to meet the expectations of the people.
“Whether you like it or not, PDP will bounce back.
” And we are also going to sweep everything next time around
“PDP will bounce back, but we have sheathe our swords to rebuild the party
“What is required of the party is to put its house in order and we have begun moves to reconcile aggrieved individuals within the party
” Those that have left the party for greener pastures will soon return home because they were disenchanted
“The internal crisis will soon be resolved very soon and efforts will be geared toward liberating Ekiti people from the shackles of penury and unemployment among others,’’ she said.
She urged party members not be dismayed by the outcome of the polls but remain steadfast and committed.
NAN reports that Olujimi had lost to Mr Dayo Adeyeye of APC in the February 23 National Assembly polls.
The PDP chieftain, however, claimed that the election was fraught with irregularities.
“The exercise was not free, fair and credible, but characterised by electoral fraud.
“It was a day-light robbery as the electorate were driven away from polling booths.
” If it had been free, fair and devoid of rancour, I would have garnered more than the 54,000 votes,” she said.(NAN)
