President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) owns Kwara State and will win the governorship election in 2015.

Stressing that all stolen mandates in the state will be reclaimed, he said that the PDP will test its might in the state by winning any elective positions in the state between now and 2015 general election.

He spoke in Abuja when Hajiya Bola Shagaya led members of the Kwara PDP to the Presidential Villa to thank him for his role in the PDP rally held in Ilorin.

Jonathan said: “We remain very grateful and from what we saw that day, I do not think we need a soothsayer to say that Kwara is totally for the PDP.”

“Just like the Principal Secretary said, the task of the pudding is in the eating. In 2015, we will know who owns Kwara. And if God gives us the opportunity, which I believe, probably we will even test our strength before 2015. All stolen mandates will return to PDP. And those who think that they can run away with our mandates, as a member of the Assembly who refused to defect, you will have nothing to regret. Just celebrate it.”

“If they think that PDP will allow them to run away with it, they will see it. So let us continue to encourage you and we will continue to work together with your leaders, supporters and make sure that just like the Senator said, not only will we win the election at the national level, we will also win at the state levels.”

Continuing, he said: “We must take over the state structures of the party, the Governor and the state Assembly, we must take all, because  it is easy to reach the grass root through the states than the center because the country is so big that by the time we distribute positions, you will not be noticed. But at the state level, we can touch more people.

“So any state we are unable to win, members of the party in that state will continue to live like orphans. So definitely, we are taking over Kwara. So I am quite pleased with what you have done today,” he added

He went on: “Let me join the organizing Secretary and Vice President to really thank you for finding time to come and interface with us. I welcome you to the state house and appreciate the efforts you took on the Ilorin and other parts of Kwara.”

“Let me also join others to express our deepest appreciation for the reception you gave to us when we came for the rally. The rally in Kwara was even thicker than some zonal rallies.”

“It was even a day because the government had wanted to distract the attention of the citizens. They arranged some Programme even within the Ilorin and those programmes failed. These things do not happen by chance because men and women who are here worked very hard to get to that level so extend our appreciation to those our brothers and sisters and formidable member of our party who are not here. You spent your personal money in mobilizing our people to get there that day,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the group, an elder of the party in the state, LAK Jimoh promised that the state will back Jonathan for 2015 Presidential election.

He told the President that without a sitting PDP governor in the state, they will remain like orphans.

Among the delegations include Senator Simeon Ajibola, Gbemi Saraki, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Suleiman Ajadi, Special Adviser to the President on Ethics, Sarah Jibrin, Prof Oba Abdulraheem, Bilikisu Gambari.