The PDP South-West Integrity Youth Group (PS-WIYG) has called on the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to look into the demands of the Integrity Group within the party.
The Convener of the Group (PS-WIYG), Mr Fola Awodola, at a news conference in Akure on Tuesday also expressed support for the Integrity Group.
The Integrity Group is headed by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, with four other governors and some chieftains of the party.
Others governors are Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.
Awodola said the only way PDP can defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general election was for the party to be united.
“We call on the leadership of the PDP to look into the demands of the Integrity Group and approve same to prevent the complete destruction of the party before it is too late.
“We believe, and strongly so, that we can only defeat the incompetent and poverty-minded APC as a united front, as this division in our party, if allowed to get to the elections next year, will spell doom for us.
“It is no longer news that the presidential candidate of our great party, the PDP, has continued to see the struggle of the Integrity Group to ensure equity and fairness in our party as a personal issue, which, to him, has no effect on his candidacy or his ability to win the presidential election for our party by February, 2023.
“That is why we gathered here today, under the auspices of the PDP South-West Integrity Youth Group (PS-WIYG), to declare our support for the Integrity Group as they are the only voice of reasoning in our party at the moment,” he said.
Awodola said that Atiku should demonstrate his prowess as he is being called, “the unifier” and unify the warring factions in the party.
He said that the presidential candidate should not allow some unpatriotic people in the party to mislead him and prevent him from achieving his dream of leading the country.
The group said the low turnout of party’s faithful at its presidential rally in Akure was due to lack of inclusiveness and division in the state leadership hierarchy.
“While appreciating the Integrity Group under the leadership of the working governor of Rivers state, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, let me assure them, on behalf of all reasonable youths in our party who are members of this group, that we are solidly behind them.
“Let me also put it on record that our support for the re-election of Engr Seyi Makinde of Oyo state is non-negotiable as we are mobilising all resources, human and material, to ensure his victory, ” he said.
