Politics
Forum urges Tinubu to prioritise youth development, canvass support for Bello as minister
Some Nigerian youths under the aiges of Progressives Nigerian Youth Forum, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to give priority to youth development and employment in the country.
Mr Bright Enuebuka, National Coordinator of the forum made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja when he led some youth to stage a rally at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat.
He explained that prioritising youth development and employment was necessary to address issues of youth restiveness and unrest in the country.
Enuebuka said the rally was to draw the attention of President Tinubu to the plight of Nigerian youths and the need to have in place a Youth Minister that was ready to work for the advancement of youths.
He added that the rally was also to drum support for Mr Oyakhilome Bello, APC USA National Youth Leader as Minister of Youth Development.
The forum’s national coordinator said gone were the days when older men were appointed as youth ministers who could hardly relate with youths nor understood their feelings.
He, therefore, appealed to Tinubu to consider appointing a vibrant youth with passion to impact and deliver as the Minister of Youth Development.
He added that the country at the moment, needed the right persons to serve in all aspects for effective deliverance of true democracy dividends and the Renewed Hope mandate.
Enuebuka noted that appointments into political offices was determined by not just regional and ethnic balancing, but by the contributions of potential appointees to party development.
This, he said, included individual’s contributions to the electioneering campaigns and eventual success of a political party.
He said Bello who hails from Edo State, was one such individual, adding that he is a politically focused businessman who had been representing the Nigerian youth both within and outside the country.
He described Bello as one of Nigeria’s trail blazers with great passion to positively impact the lives of Nigerian youths, saying he was a leaders per excellent who invested his all, including his resources to ensure Tinubu’s electoral victory at the Feb. 25 presidential election.
He expressed optimism that as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and a social influencer, Bello would be able to redirect the mindset and mentality of Nigerian youths to positive thinking if made youth minister.
He added that as a youth himself who relates and understood the position of youths, Bello would be able to proffer better ways of how Nigerian youths could succeed in life and add value to the society.
Also speaking at the rally, Mr John Asuquo South-South Coordinator Nigeria Young Progressives Assembly
(NYPA) recalled that Bello had been championing the interests and voices of young Nigerians, even as an individual through his NGO.
“His primary mission is to create a platform for open dialogue and empower Nigerian youths, using tested policies and strategies to spark positive societal change.
“A mastermind in strategic planning and leadership, Bello skillfully navigated the complexities of different industries, achieving revenue growth that shattered expectations.
“His forward thinking approach and commitment to integrity and trust worthiness resonated with critical stakeholders and made him a revered figure in the business world,”Asuquo said.
He added that Bello’s impact continued beyond business, saying that his humanitarian heart led to the founding of his NGO: I Believe World.
Through the NGO, he dedicated himself to uplifting others. His values of belief, hard work, integrity, and love fueled his philanthropic endeavours and resonated with countless lives.
He noted that through his organisation, I Believe World, Bello provided resources and platforms to inspire and empower people by engaging the community and bringing inspiration.
“Through the organisation, Bello had empowered the less previleged in the society, including giving scholarships,” Asuquo said,” adding that he would do much more as a youth minister.
He further added that as a national youth leader for APC-USA and an influential voice in the Nigerian Diaspora, Bello earned recognition for his hard work and commitment to positive change.
“Given the above and many more achievements, Nigerian Youths are appealing to President Tinubu, to appoint Bello as a cabinet member to lead the Youth Development Ministry.
“The Nigerian Youths have found Oyakhilome Bello to be a true leader who contributed immensely to the birth of Renewed Hope in Nigeria and is prepared to lead the Youths to greater heights,” he stressed.
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Adewole Adebayo said, God has told him that the party will produce the next president in 2027 general election.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokua when he met the members and executive who were led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said he could confirm that a President of SDP will mount Aso Rock villa in 2027.
“One thing that God is telling me is that there will be an SDP president in the villa in 2027.
“For the first time in a long time, we will have people who care for the people. Let’s remain focused. The problems of Nigeria are our problems, not individuals.
“We are not against Tinubu as a person but we are against hunger, inflation, poverty, insecurity, unemployment. That’s what we are against,” he said.
Buttressing Adebayo’s position on modalities of joining the party, the SDP Chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Yinka Ola-Williams, disowned 30,000 membership cards and registers allegedly being flaunted by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Ola-Williams said the party’s door is widely opened to anybody who wants to join, but such a person or group, no matter how highly placed, must follow the procedure as laid down in the party’s constitution.
He emphatically stated that the party had nothing to do with the membership cards and registers claimed by the aspirant, who said he got them from the party’s National Secretariat.
“We want people to join us, and we want to work together to provide a better government than what we have now that will remove poverty, provide a better healthcare system for people, improve education and all.
“But not that they come to the party, hijack the party and take the structure away. That’s what we will not agree,” Ola-Williams said.
Barrister Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 general election, apprehensive of massive defection to the party urged defectors to go through legitimate route and due process.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokuta, Adebayo when he met with SDP members and executive members led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said the party is open to defectors, but they must do so legitimately.
Flanked by the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, the former presidential candidate allayed fears that defectors may hijack the party, stressing that the National Working Committee of SDP can only issue membership cards through the executive at the state levels.
He said, “People are counterfeiting naira, they are counterfeiting the dollar, they’re bringing counterfeit rice, and NAFDAC is chasing counterfeit drugs. Why are you surprised that there are counterfeit party cards? Especially if the party cards are carried by counterfeit politicians who have a history of doing counterfeiting in their former parties. So, we should forgive everybody, but this counterfeiting will not work in SDP.”
“We are not fighting anybody we are only saying ‘come to our house through the front door not through the ceiling or the window.’ That’s all. Everybody here joined the party legitimately, anybody coming will join legitimately”.
“We have spoken to the National Chairman and the NWC, he said there’s no counterfeiting of anything. Any card that’s not given through the state, LG and executives is not from the SDP. So, if they come, you will tell them to go away. Put your name in our register here and pay us here. We will get the card for you. That’s how it is”.
“They want to run faster than their legs. Secondly, you are hearing rumors that people are coming to our party, Awolowo is coming, Azikiwe is coming, Balewa, Ahmadu Bello is coming. Let’s see them. Nigerians know us and they know them.”
He ruled out any plan that SDP would merge or collaborate with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC or any political party ahead of 2027 general election.
According to him, SDP is committed to the well-being and welfare of Nigerians, while he ruled out insinuations that the party is an appendage of APC.
“Maybe APC has appendicitis; they should go to the hospital to kill it. We are a strong party. We are older than any of the parties available. Our mission is clear: we are not in government with them.
“I led the party in the last election. I’m still standing here. I’m not a minister under Tinubu; all the state chairman and the national chairman are intact, including the national secretary. So, we are standing on our own.
“The reason people look down on us is because we don’t attack people, but we tackle issues because our party is a party of intellect. We are the only party that’s a little to the left. Having been a little to the left since we came in 1989, we remain so.
“The problems of Nigeria can only be found with solutions on the left, which is that chapter two of the Constitution, invest money in education, in housing, in healthcare, good infrastructure, let Nigerians live what chief Obafemi Awolowo called a life more abundant,” he said.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
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