By David Lawani
Following preparations for the 2023 general elections, the Office of the National Youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has promised to lobby for young aspirants who have purchased nomination forms.
This was disclosed by Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad – Co-chair of the APC youth Wing, during a press briefing in Abuja at the party’s National Secretariat (Buhari House)
The Youth Wing of the APC which is under the Leadership of national youth leader Dayo Israel has taken a major strategy saddled with the responsibility to strengthen the participation of young people in the political process beyond the use of young APC members as political thugs or mere voters.
The group is also to lobby policymakers across the country to ensure the success and emergence of credible young aspirants in the forthcoming primaries.
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Ahmad noted that its committee’s focus is to create a Technical Platform, providing strategic and moral support to young members who have purchased their nomination forms or intend to purchase before the expiration of the dateline set by the party.
The Co-chair stressed that its committee has been able to engage a few governors during the process.
“We have engaged with the governor of Lagos State, governor of Ogun State, Governor of Ekiti state. And we have all gotten very firm commitment from these governors.
” Already, They have shown a lot of encouragement because once you look through their cabinet , you would find that a lot of the people they are currently bringing into their cabinet are young people.
This week we are able to secure appointments to meet with the Cross Rivers State Governor, Niger State Governor, Gombe state governor, Kebbi State governor Jigawa State governor and Kano Kano state governor.
“So far, we have seen a lot of positive results. We have areas where we have our young aspirants who have been cleared to run as, state House of Assembly Members, some house of representatives from Senate, some even governors.
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“We can help them with fundraising, and things like that. So that beyond the primaries, we are going into the elections, we will continue to support them and ensure they succeed.
Speaking earlier, the national youth leader of the party said his office is committed to ensure the increment of young people in politics ahead of the 2023 general elections and beyond.
In his word ” we know that this is an election year. So, we have a commitment to ensure that we can increase the number of young people according to our party constitution. 40 years and below who are running or participating in this election.
“As a result of that, we set up this high level Working Group on huge inclusion in the 2023 elections that is composed of some of the best minds that this country has produced so far In the youth sector,” he said.
