Youth Group in North-east Threatens to Dump APC over Shettima’s Attitude

*Your grievances will be addressed, says Keyamo

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Members of the North-east All Progressives Congress (APC) Youths Stakeholders Forum have announced the withdrawal of their support for the vice presidential candidate of the party, Senator Kashim Shettima, less than two months to the February 25 election.
The Chairman of the Forum, Hon. Shaibu Tilde, while addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said the fortunes of the party in the region was on the verge of collapse due to the  leadership style of Shettima.

But in a swift reaction to the threat, the spokesman for Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, disclosed such misunderstanding is bound to happen in the build-up to a major election.

The forum said it had watched with tears as its supporters continued to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It said: “We the Youths in the North-east have lost our Zonal Treasurer from his (Shettima) home state of Borno, Hon. Yusuf Shariff Banki, due to his failure to support youth in the region to launch massive mobilisation.

“It is worth noting that Sheriff led over five hundred thousand  youth to the PDP. As if that wasn’t enough, our Zonal Organising Secretary, Hon. Murtala Gamji of Taraba, led over two hundred youth to the NNPP, and our Zonal Women Leader, Hon. Amina Manga of Bauchi, led one million women to the PDP.
“Unfortunately, the trend in the North-east zone is worsening by the day, with Kashim seemingly turned a blind eye to these heinous developments in our party in the region.”

The forum said why it was saddened to be in the news for what others would interpret as a negative reason at this time, but added that it was obligated by the love for APC to make this timely intervention before the party’s fortunes in the region sinks.
It added: “We do not need to emphasise that this is an injury time for the game because the general election are less than two months away, leaving no room for error, but instead attention must be focused on tightening all loose ends, which is not the case with our party in the northeast.”

The forum decried that of the eight million votes  from the youths that it had already mobilised for the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu, Shettima had already plundered over three million through his actions with the wave of defections from the  party.
It stated: “In light of this, we urge our party’s vice presidential candidate, Hon. Kashim Shettima, to immediately reverse his steps and correct his errors for the sake of the party, the region, and the teaming youth.”

“As a result, the North-east APC Youth Forum wishes to withdraw its unequivocal support for Shettima. Our actions should not be misinterpreted, but rather judged by our affection for our dear party.”
But reacting to the threat, the spokesman for Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Keyamo, disclosed such misunderstanding is bound to happen in the build-up to a major election.

Keyamo noted the grievances of members, who had dumped the party in the North-east would be addressed.
He, however, cautioned that it would also be wrong for the support group to attempt to resort to subtle blackmail to have their way.
Keyamo said: “It is election season. Everybody is important. No doubt about that. We can assure them that whatever grievances they have will be addressed.
“However, there is a need to point out corrections on some things they said. There are so many support groups working for the party in the North-east and we will try to give all equal attention. While I agree that we need everybody, we don’t see recognise some people as greater than others. Everybody is important.”

He added: “If some groups think they are the most important or deserve to be pampered more than others, we will not accept it. That would be subtle blackmail. The vice presidential candidate is the one who wants to treat all of them as equal as possible. He is obviously not going to pamper some over others. All groups are important.
“Again, the numbers quoted in their statement are over-exaggerated in order to draw attention. They don’t control those figures and no such numbers have left the party.

“Firstly, going by the APC register, how many registered members do we have in the North East as a party? So that means they are taking everybody at the party away, isn’t it?
“Nevertheless, we need the group and we are going to talk to them. But they should not overrate themselves,” he warned.
The APC Director of Media and Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, also told our correspondent that the issue will be addressed.
“I have brought their statement to the attention of the Vice Chairman of North-east APC, Salihu Mustapha, who I think is in a better position to address their grievances. He knows them and understands the situation in the terrain,” he said.