The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed confidence in winning Saturday’s Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi governorship elections.

The party’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja that apart from being PDP strongholds, the governorship candidates were connected to the people.

Mr Ologunagba said the PDP had engaged in vigorous, issue-based and people-driven campaigns in the three states.

He added that the party’s candidates were standing strong with the people, and PDP was sure of coasting to victory on Saturday in the state.

Mr Ologunagba said that in Kogi, the PDP candidate, Dino Melaiye, was leading, rendering the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Usman Ododo, practically mute.

“In Bayelsa, our party is standing strong with the overwhelming popularity of Governor Douye Diri, whose achievements have earned him the support of the people and sobriquet, the miracle governor.

“We are set to win overwhelmingly in Imo because of the acceptability of our candidate and party among the people; he is an accessible, grassroots politician, humane, understands and connects to the suffering of the people. He has always won elections through popular vote, and he will win on Saturday,’’ he said.

Mr Ologunagba said the party would not allow manipulation of the electoral process in any of the three states.

He said the party had already trained its polling agents as they were ready to ensure that the votes of the people on Saturday do not only count but ensure that the outcomes reflect the wishes of the people.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to be neutral in the election, saying people would not accept anything outside their wishes.

(NAN)