A political group, Kogi West Senatorial District Youth Advocate for Good Leadership and Quality Representation, has called on the the national leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct a credible primary election for the Kogi West Senatorial District, Kogi State.

The group, made up of young people drawn from seven local government areas of Kogi West Senatorial District, made the call in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Babatunde Alabi, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

Alabi said that the call was important because of rising concern among PDP members within the senatorial district on alleged attempt to impose serving Sen. Dino Melaye as the party’s senatorial candidate through a purported automatic ticket by the party leadership.

“The general belief is that the era of impunity in the PDP is gone, but this recent development in the party is not only surprising and disheartening, it is gross misconduct and unacceptable.

“It is also undemocratic, embarrassing and ridiculous, which if not urgently curtailed, would spell doom for the fortune of the party in the forthcoming general elections in the state, particularly the senatorial contest.

“At this level of our political maturity, it is very unwise to still consider automatic ticket for individuals; ideally, all aspirants should be given a level playing ground to ensure the wish and will of the people are not subverted but prevail.

“The leadership of the party should be reminded of their promise to the people of this country that the PDP have changed from the old ways of impunity for them to now be trusted.

“Therefore, any action or inaction of the current leadership on this current situation would have either positive or negative effects on the chances of the party in Kogi state, particularly Kogi West where it enjoys religious followership.

“The party leadership should bear it in mind that the interest of the party supersedes personal or individual interest,” the statement read in part.

Alabi called on the PDP leadership and all well-meaning followers of PDP to rescind the purported decision by allowing all aspirants vying for various offices to go through primary — the normal process of selection.

He also stressed the need for the party leadership to put into consideration the members of the party who had displayed high level of loyalty to the party in the area of sustaining the structures of the party since the last four years.