Northern PDP Elders Seek End to Party Crisis

A group, Northern Peoples Democratic Party Elders’ Support Group on Thursday urged the interests in the lingering crisis rocking the main opposition party to immediately ceasefire and give peace a chance in the interest of the party and the country as a whole.

They also urged elders of the party of Southern extraction to thread with caution so that they don’t end up being used as tool to overheat political activities that could rob the party victory in the 2023 elections.

According to the elders, there must be a peaceful and amicable way of ending the ongoing campaign seeking the removal of the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, in order to give peace a chance.

They noted there was the need for all the stakeholders to sheath their swords for party’s progress and unity ahead of inauguration of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council.

The group’s National Coordinator, Dr. Nasiru Aliyu-Sadauki, in a statement shortly after a meeting of members, stakeholders and goodwill ambassadors of the group at ‘2022-2023 PDP Community Based Mobilisation Vanguard and presentation of manual and guide for Atiku/Okowa campaign support groups in Kaduna.

He said, “the party leaders should face important issues of economic condition, insecurity, poverty, educational crisis and other challenges that are threatening Nigeria national unity and cohesion as a people rather than majoring in minor issue like calling for the removal of the chairman.

“There are issue on ground that need leaders to make sacrifice, offer solutions and relief to the public. No sensible party supporter will promote and seek Ayu’s exit in this time of expected cooperation, unity and understanding in the party.

“Nigerians are tired of such media display of arrogant characters by certain group of political elites in the country. Let us face issue and rebuke or disregard any political class who is more interested in seeking public sympathy rather than act to help rebuild the nation.

“We wake up daily with news of unpleasant happenings in the country especially the killing, maiming and kidnapping of our fellow Nigerians including women and children which the All Progressives Congress-led government has failed to nip in the bud. To our surprise, our party is talking about “Ayu must go” and “South will not agree” which are issues that could be resolved amicably behind curtains.

“The PDP crisis is surely a setup, intended to destroy every good and positive transformation of the Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. Those fanning the ember of disunity, cohesion and progress of PDP are doing so to create confusion that may make Nigerians reconsider APC.

“We call on the PDP supporters within and outside the country to unite and support the leadership of the party under Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to collectively rescue and rebuild our country from the ruins of APC.

“The inability of APC-led the government to resolve the lingering issue of the Academic Staff Union of Universities alone is enough to see the reason for all of us to work together with the party leadership to ensure APC is sent parking in 2023”.