Though the federal government has started showcasing all its projects across the federation in a move to correct the trending believe that the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has failed in delivering democracy dividends, the efforts are yet to upturn the observed massive loss of members to opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
For example, the May 5, 2018 southwest zonal rally of the PDP held in Osogbo, the Osun State capital witnessed more decampees.
In most of the zonal rallies held so far, Nigerians were made to see the shortcomings of government at state and federal levels particularly in the areas of infrastructure, poverty and unemployment as well as decay of health and educational facilities among others.
The PDP mega rallies held earlier in the Northwest states of Jigawa and Katsina exposed the frustration of youths and their loss of confidence in the current administration in those states and in the Federal Government.
Party leaders at the rallies are upbeat that what Nigerians are witnessing are eye openers of what the future holds for the PDP in the country, particularly in view of the massive defections to the PDP from the ruling APC.
Observers say the rising volume of unsolicited chanting of songs across the streets the federation, prayers and good wishes from market women, artisans, civil servants and all categories of persons are verdicts already passed on the administration of the ruling party that Nigerians are looking for a savior.
Political analysts also said turnouts at the rallies were signs of the deep frustration of the people against the APC government at all levels.
In Osun, leaders of the scores of politicians who defected to the party from the APC, Fatai Diekola and Tijani Oladosu did not mince words in declaring that the investment in the APC by Nigerians has been wasted.
In his remarks at the Oshogbo rally, national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who led many other party leaders to the rally charged the people to use their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC) to chase out the APC and save Nigeria’s democracy.
Secondus told a jubilant crowd of PDP members and supporters that all hands must be on deck to get APC out of office even as he pointed out that the alleged tyranny being deployed on democratic institutions like the National Assembly and the opposition would not save the ruling party from Nigerian voters who have been at the receiving end since 2015 and have made up their minds that enough is enough.
Three top PDP presidential aspirants for 2019, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors of Jigawa and Kaduna States, Sule Lamido and Ahmad Makarfi and serving governors Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, were among top PDP chieftains that graced the rally. The party’s National Organizing Secretary, Col. Austine Akobundu (rtd) said the Osun rally was one of the many mass mobilization rallies aimed at receiving returnees to the party as well as mobilize members into the rebranded PDP ahead of 2019 general elections.
