Southwest PDP declares support for Atiku, calls for National Chairman’s resignation  

The Southwest leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have resolved to back the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar  in the 2023 election, declaring, however, that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, must resign.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who disclosed the details of the resolution, said the zone had classified its demands from Atiku into pre-election and post-election demands.

He added that the party must reverse the lopsided sharing of its national positions before the elections for members to feel reassured that the party is being inclusive.

Makinde said this, on Wednesday, at the interactive session of PDP Southwest stakeholders with Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He noted that the Southwest leaders believed Atiku could move Nigeria out of the state of hopelessness the All Progressives Congress (APC) had brought upon it.

He stated: “We say we want to rescue Nigeria. Our candidate is a unifier, and he will unify Nigeria.

“We want to restructure Nigeria. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first. If we want a government of national unity, the faces of the PDP must reflect national unity. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must do what is right to bring inclusivity into PDP.”

Noting that the party had a candidate who could unify Nigeria, Makinde maintained that the message of the Southwest PDP to Atiku is that the National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, must step down.

PDP must restructure the party’s Central Working Committee to reflect national unity.

He explained the insistence of governors Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and himself that the PDP must play politics of inclusion by allowing the national chairmanship post to move South should not be seen as a problem for the party.

In his remark, the Presidential Candidate noted that what Governor Makinde and others want is achievable.

Still, the party’s constitution, rules, regulations, and procedures must be adhered to, saying those institutions must serve as guides to whatever changes are made.

READ ALSO: PDP Presidential Flag-bearer expresses view on call for Ayu’s resignation

Therefore, the party cannot do anything outside the constitution unless it is amended to reflect what members want it to be.

He said: “Of course, we don’t say people should not have different views, but all views must go through our constitution, rules, and practices.

“Otherwise, we cannot give this country the leadership they want. So, it is time for us to return the PDP to power. I have no problem about wherever any member of the party comes from, but we must do it under our constitution, our regulations and our practices.”

Atiku stated that PDP, the oldest political party in Nigeria since the return of democracy, had, over time, developed its constitution, electoral processes, zoning of offices, power sharing, and others.

He said the structure would bring about the unity of the party and the country, asserting that the most crucial event is how the party would win the 2023 elections.

“I can tell you we can win the election if we want to, and we can take over all the Southwestern states.

“More so, the new Electoral Act has improved our electoral processes and has made it difficult for people to write results. They cannot do it anymore, and they cannot rig.”

Earlier, the vice-presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa; chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal; Osun State governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke; acting national chairman of the PDP, Iliya Damagun; former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Senator Biodun Olujinmi, all spoke on the need for the party to forge ahead as one body.

He added that the PDP had demonstrated the readiness to win the Presidency in 2023.

 

S.O