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Politics of Sunday, 15 January 2023

Source: www.legit.ng

2023: Doom lurks for Tinubu, Keyamo slammed as northern APC Youths withdraw support for Shettima

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Youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in northern Nigeria under the umbrella of North-East Youths and Stakeholders Forum have reiterated their stand to withdraw support for Kashim Shettima, the vice presidential candidate of the ruling party.

The youth forum which had lobbied for the rotation of the slot to the northeast is now firm in its position about Shettima ahead of the 2023 general elections, Punch reports.

According to the youths, the former Borno governor is responsible for the massive defection that has hit the ruling party in the region, a situation they believe will affect the APC's chances of victory in the forthcoming polls.

The forum in a statement released on Thursday, January 12, by its acting chairman, Shaibu Tilde, said during the gale of defection, the APC lost some key members including the zonal women leader, Amina Manga, from Bauchi, who defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with many other women leaders.

The youths alleged that Shettima's snub and nonchalant attitude has continually undermined their efforts toward achieving victory for the APC.

Moreover, they slammed APC's Presidential Campaign Council spokesman, Festus Keyamo, for describing their position as a plot to blackmail Shettima for money.

Part of the statement read: “Firstly, it’s clearly manifest that Mr Keyamo does not understand the calibre of the youth and the extent of their fibre in the North-East region of the party and therefore can resort to calling us names as ‘cheap blackmailers’. This is rather unfortunate that the spokesman of our party has turned his war arsenal against his fellow party men with a common goal to win the 2023 election.

“No one can deny the gale of defection our party has suffered in the region in the last few months. Our group noted with dismay that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria rather than being introspective on the germane issues we raised that are affecting the fortunes of our party in the region chose to play to the gallery by calling us blackmailers and attention seekers. This is unfortunate and quite shameful.”

“Finally, it will do our party much good to address the gale of defection it’s suffering from the region as a result of the action of our vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima. Turning a blind eye to grievances will amount to fatal consequences. We the North-East APC youth stakeholders remain committed to the success of our party and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, come February 25.”