Metuh dares APC, insist PDP will return to power in 2019

The National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)  Olisa Metuh, who was released from Kuje prison on bail Thursday, said his party will regain power in 2019.
“The party has since overcome the initial trauma that accompanied the electoral setback of the 2015 general election, and is now poised to regain power at the centre in 2019,” he said on Friday.
Metuh said that the recent variance of voices from its members was as a result of the party’s foundation of liberal democracy, which he described as a mark of strength, adding that the party has adequate internal mechanisms to resolve all issues within its fold.
 According to Richard Ihediwa, Metuh’s aide, “the view of the PDP spokesman was contained in his opening remark at a meeting of the party’s publicity directorate with some visiting parliamentarians from the United Kingdom, led by Mark Field, member of parliament and chairman of International Office of the Conservative Party, and Colin Bloom, director of outreach-BCP in Abuja on Friday.”
He told the visitors that the PDP faced serious challenges soon after it lost in the elections, culminating in the resignation of its national chairman, a development that created some challenges within the party, but assured them that every issue would be resolved by the party leadership by next week.
In his remarks, Field advised the party to ensure that it did not trash its brand in the face of challenges. He observed that while it was common for some party members to demand the removal of leaders after electoral defeat, care must be taken not to jeopardise institutional memory of the party. “Never trash your brand no matter whatever the government of the day is saying about you”, he admonished the PDP.
The interaction was attended by PDP publicity staff, social media operatives of the party and officials of the International Republican Institute (IRI), who facilitated the visit. Metuh is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).