The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the party will win in 2023 if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts free and fair elections.
Addressing members of the United Nations Needs Assessment Mission, who visited him in his office, PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, said only an election that is not free and fair will deny the party victory at the polls.
Ayu said since the party lost election in 2015, efforts have been geared towards rebuilding the party and that is why “We have done very well in previous elections but in the 2019 elections, we believe we won the election but we didn’t win the election.”
The Chairman said as a political party, the PDP is very confident that if there is “a free and fair election, the PDP will sweep all as we have demonstrated in recent times. In some of the midterm elections, we’ve had in the city of Abuja a couple of months back, out of so many challenges which opposition parties go through we were able to come out as the best performing party.
“So we’re very confident that in a free and fair election. We will return to winning ways and will be able to win several states and then next year, when we have the presidential elections, we will definitely win the presidential elections. The only obstacle in the way we believe is when elections are not conducted freely and fairly.”
In his remarks, the team lead of the United Nations Needs Assessment Mission, Mr. Serge Gakwandi Kubwimana, said they were in the country in response to a request for electoral support.
“So, we are here to assess the needs of the country but also of the key stakeholders that play a role in elections, also to assess the overall context, possible challenges that may affect the electoral process and how best the UN could assist the Government and the various stakeholders in the lead up to those elections.”