Over 5,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The defectors were received into the PDP by the Atiku Youth World Outreach on Thursday in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of the Atiku Youth World Outreach, Suleiman Yakubu, thanked the defectors for pitching their tent with the PDP.
Yakubu urged all young people in the country to vote for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the forthcoming presidential election.
He said: “We must come out en masse to vote Atiku/Okowa. This election is for Nigerians and that is why we are supporting a candidate who is a Nigerian first.
“We are supporting a candidate that has never pursued his own personal interest using ethnicity as a canopy. His interest has always been one – Nigeria first.”
Also speaking, Eta Eso, Special Assistant on New Media Operations to Atiku Abubakar, noted that the defectors made the right decision by joining the PDP.
He said: “The PDP is a safe haven for Nigerian youths and as you already know, the manifesto of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar makes adequate provisions for young people in this country.”
On her part, Maryam Atiku-Abubakar, patron of the Atiku Youth Outreach, said the defection of the APC and LP members a few days before the election is ‘extremely significant’.
She said: “This is extremely significant for the PDP, with just two days to the elections. This is very exciting for us, we are happy to receive them and we hope that this move will encourage young people across the country to see that the PDP is indeed, the party for the future.”
Speaking earlier, the leader of the defectors and convener of Concerned Nigerian Youths, Comrade Uko Miracle Anthony, said they decided to support Atiku because of his experience in governance.
He said: “We are very excited to join the PDP as His Excellency Atiku Abubakar is already making waves. And the reason we decided to join the PDP is because Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a man of vision.
“Atiku is more experienced and has capacity, wisdom and self-will. He stands far above other candidates. Atiku has the self-will to drive Nigeria to the promised land.
“And we are promising Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that we will deliver on Saturday. All our members have their PVCs. Come on Saturday, we are going to win the election.”
