The People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) South West branch has praised Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, for traveling to Ibadan on Wednesday for an important meeting with the Zonal Executive Council of the party.
The action has been characterized as a tactical choice to posture the party before the general elections in 2023.
The PDP is one cohesive and indivisible family that is determined to winning the zone for the party’s candidate in the February presidential election, according to the opposition party, which said that the candidate’s decision to make Ibadan his first stop was a clear indication of this.
This is contained in a press statement signed by the Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP Chief Sanya Atofarati on Tuesday made available to newsmen in Ibadan.
His words: “On behalf of members of Zonal executive council of our great party I welcome our candidate, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to Ibadan where he would hold a crucial meeting with all stakeholders of the party
“The visit could not have come at a better time than now in view of the ongoing reconciliation and fence mending moves by top hierachies of the party at different levels to address various interests and agitations within the party which were blown out of proportion by the ruling APC.
“As a truly democratic institution, the PDP welcomes all shades of opinions and interests which sometimes might be misconstrued by the general public as crisis, but the inherent internal mechanism for conflict resolution of our party has set the PDP apart from our main challenger and the outcome of the recent reconciliatory moves has begun to bear fruit.
“I must also commend Governor Seyi Makinde for his exemplary leadership in the zone as he is billed to recieve the visiting former President on Wednesday and put in place logistics for the success of the event.
“Governor Makinde has once again demonstrated capacity to distinguish between self interest and party supremacy because the PDP umbrella is our defining symbol which must be guided jealously going forward.
“I have always held the opinion that the PDP cannot afford to fail Nigerians because the sufferings in the land is positive campaign to our party in 2023 thanks to APC for mismanaging the country. So the rescue mission of our country begins with the PDP and all hands must be on deck to put our house in order across all geo political zones and reclaim our stolen mandate of 2019. I equally enjoined Nigerians who are going through excruciating pains and agony foisted on them by APC led wicked administration to keep their hope alive in the PDP because the storm will soon be over.