The national leadership, the youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has invited the party’s presidential hopefuls to a town hall meeting to discuss their plans for youth if elected.
Dayo Israel, leader of APC’s youth wing, made the invitation in a statement titled “What do you have for us?” on Wednesday in Abuja.
Israel said the event, to be held in Abuja from May 27-28, would provide a platform for the party’s presidential hopefuls to share their agenda with young party members.
The youth leader said the time had come for the wing to come on board and prioritize the interest of progressive youth and Nigerian youth in general.
He noted that in a few days, the party’s delegates will gather in Abuja for the special convention and presidential primaries to elect the party’s presidential candidate.
He said that although some hopefuls had toured the country to address potential delegates, there had not been many engagements with the youth wing of the party.
“We believe that as the highest voting bloc, with a population and demographic advantage, it is in our best interest to sit at the table with all APC presidential hopefuls and hear what they have in store for us if elected.
“In light of this, the office of the National Youth Leader will convene a 2023 APC Presidential Hopefuls Town Hall Meeting with progressive youth.
“I use this medium to invite all of our presidential hopefuls to be kind enough to be available for this special event.
“Participants will be able to register to attend on a first-come, first-served basis at https://youngprogressives.ng/presidentialtownhall/ when the website is up,” he said.
Mr. Israel named the members of the presidential town hall meeting steering committee to include; Sanusi Ohiare (Co-Chair), Idris Aregbe (Co-Chair), Winifred Chukka – Secretary and Oluwatoyin Fasanmi – Deputy Secretary, among others.
He said the steering committee would be supported by technical subcommittees to be announced later.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that no fewer than 25 hopefuls are in the running for the APC presidential nomination.
The party’s presidential primaries are scheduled for May 30 and June 1.
ALSO READ: You are the future of this country, says Tinubu to young Nigerians
Presidential hopefuls who submitted their nomination forms include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Bola Tinubu, a two-term former Lagos state governor and one of the APC leaders.
Others are former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Niger Delta Development Minister Godswill Akpabio, and former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Ogbonnaya Onu.
Former Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo and former Governor Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun, Tunde Bakare, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi also submitted their forms.
The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, former Senate President Ken Nnamani and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi also submitted the forms.
Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa and former Governor of Zamfara Ahmed Yerima have also shown interest in the contest by submitting their forms.
Also on the list of presidential hopefuls who have completed and returned their forms are Nicholas Nwagbo, former House Speaker Dimeji Bankole and Senate President Ahmed Lawan.
The only female candidate, Uju Kennedy-Ohnenye, also made the list.
(YAYA)