PDP to receive decampee APC youth

The APC youth claim that APC leaders are undemocratic.

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The National Youth Leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Abdullah Maibasira, will on Wednesday formally receive former members of the now defunct All Progressive Congress Youth Frontier, APCYF, into his party.

Some members of the APCYF, on April 7, left the All Progressives Congress, APC, claiming the opposition party refused to involve the youth in its affairs. They then formed the Peoples Democratic Party Youth Frontier, PDPYF.

They also accused the APC leaders of lack of internal democracy, reign of impunity and imposition.

In a statement, the National Coordinator of the defunct APCYF, Austin Okai, said the position of the youth in the APC is just a formality.

“We considered it dangerous and misleading to remain in such a political party, after political consultation, APC youth frontier decided to defect to PDP and chat for the course of Nigerians youth,” Mr. Okai said.

He said that rather than appoint leaders through “due consultation and democratic best practices, various states leadership were handed over to ‘money bag politicians”.

Mr. Okai also said “the inability of APC to conduct free and fair congresses for itself also shows that the party is far from being an alternative to PDP.”

He said Nigerian youth need political parties that will unite citizens rather than divide them along religious, tribal and geopolitical issues.

“We considered it dangerous and misleading to remain in such a political party, after political consultation, APC youth frontier decided to defect to PDP and chat for the course of Nigerians youth,” he said.

Mr. Okai also called on Nigerian youth to work with Mr. Maibasira to demand that the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, makes youth affirmation a priority as is done for women.

“We believe youth as a constituency is integral part of any Nation and (therefore) the Youth deserves a special attention,” he said.
The group will be represented at the PDP secretariat by its executive members.