Some associates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, under the aiges Atiku People United (APU) has risen from a meeting, condemning the way the agitation for resignation of the national chairman and re-zoning is being pursued.
In a communique released after the meeting signed by the PDP South-west Secretary Hon. Rahman Owokoniran and the founding national Vice chairman Chief Dapo Sarumi, said the movement is disturbed by the negative signals sent and perception being created by the actions of Governor Nysome Wike of Rivers state and his group.
According to the communique, while it is the right of all members to claim or maintain their moral or legal rights, mouthing statements and insinuations that could demarket and destroy our party and candidate should be a no-go area and should be viewed with every seriousness because you can’t damage a foundation and still go ahead to build on it.
The communique reads: “Wbelieve, and very strongly too, that the current do or die agitation in the Party is unfortunately due to inability of our leadership to reflect on benefit of hindsight. Leaders who have done great for the Party unconsciously are ready to kill the Party and kill their own ambition exactly as it affected us in 2015. Note that almost all those at the center of the bitter bickering are election ticket holders or godfather to Party ticket holders.
“That it is the same failure of deep reflection that the ruling Party in Lagos has used to keep PDP out of power for 23 years. This should be very instructive and all PDP leaders in the combat zone should take it to heart, not forgetting that the same destructive tendencies was used to push PDP out of power using ‘New PDP’ , an action that was later regretted to be a dinner with the devil. Why must history repeat itself?
“That as core politicians, with many political pundits among us, we say without mincing words, that the agitation may be right but the timing is completely wrong and politically unwise. And except we have decided to concede 2023 to APC, Ayu’s removal or resignation may shock the system, create fresh troubles that may be more destructive and take controls out of our hands. As a matter of fact, when has the office of National Chairman become so important in government and governance to any region to make us ready to throw away the Presidency.
“We have no doubts these must be why our Presidential candidate, a master of the game himself has chosen the stand he has taken and not because of lack of respect for Governor Wike and his team. We therefore advise that the aggrieved leaders should be willing to make sacrifice of sheathing their swords until after election when the Party leader must have emerged and power of persuasion stronger and assuring. Note that Atiku is only a candidate and not yet Party leader officially.”
The PDP leaders said they agreed with the party’s presidential cndidate that the party cannot resort to impunity in removing the National Chairman “and that this can only be achieved through personal conviction, which in our opinion is achievable through Political persuasions instead of equipping the opposition with Campaign materials.
“We call on all concerned to remember that the PDP had apologized to Nigerians that it would never engage in impunity anymore and that the rule of law will always prevail.
“We believe this is the stand and statement of our Candidate, Atiku Abubakar. And this is what Nigerians need in any leader that must take the country out of the woods where we have found ourselves. A leader who listens, negotiates, openly bares his mind and does not just pander to opinions because they are loud but looks at the long-term implication with deep insights and contribution by experts.
“We call to memory the bitter struggle of the then ‘NEW PDP’ and the eventual regret by all. We therefore passionately plead for caution and rethink as this self-celebrated crack is heartbreaking, morale killing and hope dimming to many members and other Nigerians who look up to PDP for National Rescue from the hegemony of this notorious All Pretenders congress (APC) who have through their government made life unbearable for everyone and taken Nigeria to the lowest on every facet of life and living.
“And for a thought by all, the Senate President and other top influential positions that can be negotiated to the south are government positions that are equally good for the zone. as National Chairman which does not negate the fact that the National Chairman must be zoned to the President’s alternative zone.”
The group urged governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state to join forces with them by embracing peace for the unity of PDP.
“It is in an effort to sustain the zonal arrangement that the party recently ammended the constitution that the first chairman must come from the same zone as the chairman, otherwise, the exit of Ayu woul have been seemless. This is not the making of Atiku, it was the collective decision of the national convention.
“While we agree completely that equity demands sharing between North and South, we must remember that election is just a few months away and any dislocation or distortions from the Party’s command headquarters will spell doom for the entire Party and Nigerians may be left hopeless. God forbids!
As stated earlier, changes can always be made soon after Presidential election to achieve the balance being sought.”
