Leaders and elders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Nasarawa have urged aggrieved members of the party to sheath their swords and unite to win the 2023 general elections.

They made the call in a statement jointly signed by Abdulkarim Usman, Baba Gbefwi, Sulaiman Adokwe, Jibril Keana, Musa Karshi, Michael Abdul and Kefas Kaura.

The statement titled ‘Nasarawa State Stands With Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’, urged members to close ranks in the interest of the nation yearning for PDP.

The group said the call became necessary because of reports that some PDP leaders declared their decision to withdraw from the party’s presidential campaign council 2023 general elections.

The aggrieved leaders said the only condition for their participation in the campaign council would be for the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to resign his position to pave the way for a new chair to emerge from the South since the party presidential candidate is from the North.

“As leaders and elders of our great party from Nasarawa state, we are compelled to state unequivocally that the decision to withdraw the participation in the presidential campaign council taken by this group on the eve of the start of the campaign for the general election, is ill-advised,” the party stakeholders explained. 

They added, “Our party in Nasarawa state has resolved to vigorously support and campaign for all our candidates in the general election, including and especially our presidential candidate, Abubakar, to ensure he emerges victorious at the polls.”

The group described the 2023 general elections as consequential for the survival of Nigeria as a viable entity and the PDP’s mission to rescue Nigeria.

It stated that there was a need for all hands to be on deck for the important and noble cause.

“In arriving at this position, we are not unmindful of the grievances of the group, which is traceable to the outcome of the party primaries, particularly the presidential primary election, which ushered in Abubakar as the presidential candidate of our party,” the statement further explained. “We note with great satisfaction that the process itself was transparent and democratic.”