A presidential aspirant on the platform of the PDP, Anyim Pius Anyim, has claimed Nigerians are begging the main opposition party to return them to 2015 amidst President Muhammadu Buhari’s tumultuous regime.

He stated this while unveiling his roadmap to clinch the PDP presidential ticket on Friday. He noted that the magic wand was for the PDP to re-invent itself.

Speaking at a consultative meeting with leaders of the PDP from the six geo-political zones in Abuja, Mr Anyim promised to return Nigeria to the path of peace, unity and progress, if elected president next year.

He said, “Do you agree with me that Nigerians are saying please return us to 2015? If Nigerians are begging us to return them to 2015, do you have any reason not to support me?”

Mr Anyim, who was a former senate president and secretary to the government of the federation, said the PDP stood a great chance to return to power after its dramatic fall from power.

He, however, warned the party to avoid the mistakes that led to its fall from power in 2015, saying that Nigerians were currently clamouring for the return of the party to steer the ship of state.

“In 2015 some of us in PDP, simply decided to pull out of PDP to bring that government down. We were thereafter, plunged into darkness,” he stressed. 

He added, “That is why we are where we are today. Let nobody confuses you. Let nobody mislead you. We were confused and misled in 2015 and that is why we are here. We now have an opportunity to come together and re-invent ourselves.”

The former lawmaker, who cited some successes recorded by the PDP while in power, noted that the achievements made by the party did not come overnight but were done systematically and were planned for.

“We were planning that for the second tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan we would stretch out these plans and policies, to deliver maximum results but unfortunately, that administration was truncated,” he stressed. “If you stand by me, if you partner with me, we will return this country again to the path of peace; on the path of growth and on the path to prosperity.”

Mr Anyim advised PDP leaders and members not to repeat “the mistake of 2015’’ when some of them pulled out of the party to other parties to pursue their political ambitions.

(NAN)