'We'll ensure APC delivers on promises' - Deputy Senate President says

The Peoples Democratic Party Post Election Review Committee said on Saturday, May 9, that the party will reposition itself to return to power in 2019.

Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the committee, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said this in an interview with journalists after the committee met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Aso Rock Villa.

"We are now ready to rebuild our party and be able to present a credible opposition for this country that will ensure us return to power in 2019.

"We are ready to hold the new government accountable and make sure that the promises they have made, which we will benchmark appropriately, will not be that they have deceived Nigerians and got their votes.

"They are going to account for their statements, their promises.

"We will hold them accountable to all the promises,’’ Ekweremadu said.

According to him, the PDP has absorbed the shock of its losses in the general elections and got over the infighting and blame game that followed.

"When you have this kind of situation, the first reaction will be blame game, but I think we have been able to absorb that shock and right now I can assure you that all that bickering has stopped,’’ he said.

On why the committee visited the President, the chairman said it was to brief him as the party leader on the responsibilities assigned to them and solicit for his support and cooperation.

Ekweremadu said that the committee is encouraged by the President's pledge for total support in the task of rebuilding the PDP.

"I would like to announce that Mr President has given us his words that he will encourage and support this process and that he is interested in the party returning to its past glory and that he is going to do everything to ensure that we remain intact.

"And we also agreed that all bickering have to stop so that we can have a position that will enable us to rebuild our party,’’ he added.

The PDP leadership has been embroiled in a crisis of confidence since its huge loss during the March 28 and April 11 elections.

The crisis led to calls by some party chieftains for the resignation of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for alleged non-performance and improper utilization of campaign funds.

The NWC on its part, accused the presidency of sidelining the members during the entire campaigns and accused the Presidential Campaign Organisation for mismanaging the electioneering process thereby truncating the re-election of Jonathan.