Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked his supporters to desist from making comments that are capable of sabotaging the internal reconciliation effort ongoing in the party.
Atiku in a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, on Thursday noted that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his colleagues in other States are making frantic effort to ensure the party’s electoral victory in the 2023 general election.
The statement follows recent fears that the dispute between Atiku and Wike may affect the party’s chances at the presidential poll next year.
Wike had on Thursday met former President Olusegun Obasanjo alongside the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in London. The meeting which also had in attendance other stalwarts of the PDP such as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, among others has heightened concerns among members of the opposition PDP.
However, Atiku on Thursday cautioned his supporters to mind their utterances as the party needs a united front to stand a better chance of victory.
The statement read, “It has become imperative to appeal to all party members, leaders and everyone related to, connected with or associated with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar to desist from making comments that potentially reduce the optics of PDP’s image as a united political party.
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“This appeal becomes necessary in order to call the attention of party leaders and members to the diversionary antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress which, in manufacturing a false impression of division within the PDP, aims to hoodwink the Nigerian public to overlook the monumental failures of the ruling party.
“Today, Nigerians look up to the Peoples Democratic Party to lead the charge in ousting the ruling party. This expectation from the people is the reason why the APC is jittery of their impending fall in next year’s general election. It is also the very reason why the ruling party is manipulating the political process to create a sense of division in the PDP.
“Because they know that there is nothing to campaign with from their records of performance in office, the APC has elected to play the role of the devil’s advocate, regaling in celebration of their imaginary invincibility upon a fraudulent claim that the PDP is divided.
“It is for this reason that I appeal to every true member of the PDP and anyone who truly wishes the success of the PDP presidential candidate to not fall for the antics of the APC in making statements that could give credence to the false claim of divisions in the PDP.
Source: Punch