The former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Prof. Onje Gyewado was among over 50,000 party faithful that returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The returnees, who were from Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Labour Party (LP), were received at PDP Secretariat at grand reception in Lafia by the National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
Gyewado led those that decamped from the ACN, while Messrs Iliya Diko and Mr Nawani Aboki led the returnees from CPC and LP, respectively.
Addressing them, Tukur said that the development was an indication that the party was ready to capture power from the ruling CPC in the state.
He said that the party was still strong in the state and ready to correct the mistake of the past that led to its defeat in the 2011 general elections.
Tukur said that the party was committed to fairness, justice and reconciliation across the ranks in the party.
He said that party machinery had been put in motion to woo aggrieved members to return to the party in the interest of national unity, peace and development.
Earlier, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, restated the “unwavering loyalty’’ of the state executive of the party to the national executive committee led by Tukur.
Maku said that the party’s antecedence in the state was still visible, adding that members of the party in the state had resolved to work for the victory of PDP in the 2015 elections.
He told the visiting National Executive Committee members that Nasarawa state was still in support of PDP.
“Your Excellency, I want to tell you today that Nasarawa state is the home of PDP in Nigeria. The state had been loyal to the party since 1999 before an evil wind that came over the state and caused the party to relinquish power to the opposition in 2011.
“Your Excellency, the people of the state are aware that all that they are seeing in the state today in health, education and road infrastructure is a product of the PDP government,’’ he said.
The minister said that the return of the party to power in 2015 would be the best means of guaranteeing peace in the state.
In their separate remarks, the returnees pledged their unalloyed loyalty to the leadership of the party at the state and national levels.
Gyewado, who led about 24,000 supporters from ACN, said the returnees were committed to the ideals of the founding fathers of the party.
He promised that those who returned to the party would work for the unity and development of the state.
On his part, Diko said that the supporters were motivated by the desire to support development, promote peaceful and coexistence among the communities in the state.
He said that all those that decamped from CPC would work for the success of the party in the state.
Aboki said that all the over 25,000 LP faithful that dissolved into PDP would emerge victorious in 2015 elections in the state.
He said that the defection of the members was the end of LP in the state.
The immediate past governor the state, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe-Doma, state, zonal and national executive members of the party also attended the event.
