The 2015 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Gombe on Tuesday promised to return their states to the ruling APC.
The candidates: Umana Okon Umana (Akwa Ibom); Dakuku Peterside (Rivers); O’tega Emerhor (Delta) and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe) made the promise in Abuja, while addressing State House Correspondents after consulting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The candidates said they were not discouraged by the verdicts of the Supreme Court, which affirmed the elections of their PDP opponents.
Umana said his party was reviewing the judgment, adding that there were two concurrent verdicts at the tribunal and Appeal Court, which ordered a rerun.
But Dr Peterside said he had placed the Supreme Court verdict behind him and was focusing on the rerun for the three senatorial, 12 House of Representatives and 22 Assembly seats.
He said all his party was asking for is a level-playing field from INEC and security agencies.
“Now, we are going for elections and we believe INEC will be impartial and the security agencies will provide a conducive atmosphere for people to vote and their votes will count.’’
He saidAPC represents the dreams and aspirations of the Rivers people and he was confident the party would win.
Yahaya said the APC candidates came to share ideas with the Vice President on the lessons learnt from the legal system.
He said chances were high for the APC to clinch Gombe in the next elections.
“Everybody knows Nigerians, particularly from the North, has embraced change. Gombe is APC and will remain APC and we live to see in 2019 who will be there.’’