National Coordinator Comrade Usman Okhai Austin(R) receiving the certificate of affiliation to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) from the HOD, Youth Affairs(M) while the National Youth Leader,PDP,Hon. Abdullahi MaiBasira(L) looks on
outh leaders from the opposition All Progressive Congress APC this morning decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, At a ceremony presided over by the National Youth Leader of the PDP Hon Abdullahi Husseini Mai Basira at the National headquarters of the PDP in Abuja, the former APC youth leaders declared their loyalty to the PDP describing the APC as anti Youth and anti Democratic , speaking earlier Usman Austin Okai leader of APC Youth Frontier said ''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 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.
Speaking during the event the National Youth Leader Hon Husseini Mai Basira called On youths to join hands with PDP in ensuring that the country is protected for Upcoming youths. Stressing the importance of the 2015 general election , the youth leader maintained that the elections should not be used as a platform to divide the country but as an avenue to further sustain democracy and the achievements of successful governments since 1999.
While praising the achievements of the party since 1999 he said ''the PDP is the only true national Party whose name, slogan and logo has remained unchanged since its formation,and as the largest party whose membership cuts across the country it has the capacity to accommodate all youth .We also do not want a break in policies that promotes youth development,because in molding today and tomorrows leaders there is that need for the youths to work harder in sensitizing and reawakening political consciousness he said .
LIST OF DECAMPING APC YOUTH LEADERS
ALHAJI JIBRIN MOHAMMED
USMAN AUSTIN OKAHI
COMRADE OKPE JOSEPH OKPE
COMRADE OMAGA DANIEL
MAL AWALU SALISU MAI KASUWA
HARUNA ABUBAKAR
MR. OGU HARRISON
UBEH SULEIMAN ABDU
ABDULLAHI DAN TANI
YUSUF .B ALIYU
USMAN OJOGBANE VICTOR
BARR OFIYOU DANNIS
BELLO ISIAKA ONIMISI
AMEDU JOSEPH
ALYSE UNEH
