2023: Northern Youths Want Shinna Peller to Contest Nation’s Presidency

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Convener of Northern Youths Assembly of Nigeria, Rt. Hon Ukkasha Hamza Rahama, at the weekend said that they would not relax their call until the lawmaker representing Iseyin/Iwajowa/Itesiwaju and Kajola Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Hon. Shinna Peller, declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential elections.

Rahama spoke with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State’s capital, shortly after meeting with some youths in the state.

He said: “What the people of the country need most this time around is energetic youth that can take the country to the next level of positive development and not old generation. 

“In view of this, a person of Hon. Shinna Peller remains a good quality that can be put forward to lead the nation into new economic prosperity and political development.

“In order to achieve this agenda, some notable Nigerian youth groups have commenced contacts, mobilisations and even pasted the posters of Hon. Peller to strategic locations and major towns across the six geo-political zones of the county.”

He claimed the responsibility for Peller’s presidential posters in the six geo political zones of the country “since no Muslim from the South-west has been president of the country before, it is only fair that Peller, a Southern practising Muslim youth, should be given the chance to take the lead.”

Rahama, who is also  the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Forum, listed  some of the groups asking the lawmaker to join the 2023 presidential race as   Nigerian Youth League, Nigerian Youths in Politics, Coalition of Concerned Youth Organizations in the North Central geo-political zone, Nigeria Youth Alternative Council (NYAC), Northern Youths Assembly of Nigeria and numerous others.

He explained that the rationale behind the choice of Peller as their preferred candidate is that the lawmaker represents the change that the youth seek, arguing that he is the most vibrant young politician who is always speaking on the side of the youth.

He explained that Peller is so passionate about youth development that he has, through the Lead Generation Initiative (LGI), trained thousands of young Nigerians across the country on leadership, governance, strategic communications, active citizenship, political mobilisation and organising.

Rahama stressed that they would not relent until Peller finally agreed to their demand of declared to run for president.

Also speaking, the Convener of Coalition of Concerned Youth Organisations in the North-central Geo-political Zone, Mr. Moses Adeyefa, lamented that the decay in the country’s political and economic system has continuously subjected Nigerian youths to hardship, adding that they would no longer allow those who do not have a stake in the future of Nigeria to continue to determine their future.

He also argued that Nigeria deserved a young, energetic, innovative, destabilised and dynamic leader who is successful in both public and private life to lead Nigeria.

He added: “The era of voting for old and sick politicians is over, especially with the current economic reality.”

He, therefore, called on Peller to answer their clarion call to lead the country come 2023 so as to bring purposeful leadership to the doorsteps of populace.