Ruling party boss asks members to close ranks in order to deliver presidential mandate of winning more states.

Notwithstanding its present challenges, the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday, declared that the party would win nine more states in the 2015 elections, bringing the states under its control to 32. The party currently governs 23 out of Nigeria’s 36 states.

Mr. Tukur, therefore, urged party faithful to bury their hatchet and invest in the future for the purpose of delivering the presidential mandate of winning more states.

According to him, the party would win in the states without manipulating the elections just to prove that it is the party with the widest spread in Nigeria.

Mr. Tukur spoke in Abuja while receiving about 15 party members from the South West geo-political zone led by Taoheed Adedoja, a former Sports Minister.

“We need to work hard now because we have a presidential mandate to move beyond 23 states in our control and win at least 32. We have to show electoral strength this time. In doing it, we will work hard and work well. We will move with the speed of jet and we will deliver without any foul antics,” he said

“I use this opportunity to appeal to our members to bury the hatchet and cast away whatever forlorn hope they nurse about the future. I appeal to our members to begin to invest in the future right away and doing so involves hard work, diligence and dedication to the cause of PDP.”

The PDP boss challenged members of the party nationwide to begin preparation for the polls, adding that doing so would relieve the party of undue pressure before they are held and would help the party to victory.

He, however, assured that the Goodluck Jonathan administration would ensure that the elections are free, open and transparent.

The national chairman pleaded with elected members of the party to ensure they deliver the dividends of democracy to the ordinary Nigerians, insisting that it would help to convince the electorate across the country that PDP remained the best performing party.

Speaking on the mission of the visitors, Mr. Adedoja, said they decided to make the visit in order to appeal to the party’s national leadership to address pertinent issues in the South-west PDP.

The former minister, who contested the 2011 governorship election on the platform of another party in Oyo State, praised the party on its peace initiative and the ability by the chairman to rally different groups for its progress.