With less than 30 hours to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, no fewer than 5,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) have collapsed their structures into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The decampees, whose structures had all along worked for the APC and LP across the country, changed loyalty to the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar at an event organised by the Atiku Youth World Outreach on Thursday in Abuja.
Spokesperson for the defectors who came on the aegis of Concerned Nigerian Youths, Mr Uko Miracle, handed over the decampees to the PDP.
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In his remarks, Miracle said that the youths decided to pledge their loyalty to Atiku because of his experience in governance.
He said: “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,” he said.
Patron of the Youth Outreach, Maryam Atiku, said: “This is very exciting for us. PDP is indeed a party for the young.”
She said that the youths had a chance to reclaim Nigeria if Atiku was voted into power.
“Atiku and the PDP are committed to recovering this country and making it safe for everyone.
“The PDP will unite this country, improve security, support small businesses, create jobs and better our economy.
“As you have come here to align with the PDP, you have done what is right and what is best for Nigeria.
“We all have to go back to our wards, units and deliver PDP. That is the ultimate task; we cannot be left out,” she said.
Mr Eta Uso, Special Assistant, New Media Operations, to Atiku, urged the party supporters to vote en-masse for Atiku on Saturday.
“This election is going to be a game changer,” he said.
Director General, Youth World Outreach, Suleiman Yakubu, in his remark, declared that Saturday was a very important day for all Nigerians.
“We must come out enmasse 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.
He said that if elected, Atiku would improve education and infrastructure and deliver to Nigerians a nation they would be proud to call their own.