BY AMINA USMAN, ABUJA BUREAU, youtHouse reporters
Today Friday, January 29, 2021, the suspence that had pervaded greater portion of the Nigerian Youth Constituency, and Nation in general, was broken over the 14 day Ultimatum issued to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State by a very large Group of Youths and Young People, to run for the Office of the President of Nigeria at the 2023 General Elections.
Addressing a World Press Conference today in Abuja, the Director General of the GYB2PYB Youth Support Group, Hon. Oladele John Nihi (OJN), who is also the Honourable Commissioner in charge of Political Participation at the Pan African Youth Union (PYU), displaced the Nine Paragraph Response Letter dated January 28, 2021, and duly signed by GYB himself.
The DG explained that Governor Bello on presenting the Letter said he appreciated the solidarity and love shown to him by the Nigerian Youth, and had to respond to save the Judiciary the headache of another Letigation to compound the already overwhelming work on their hands.
However, GYB did not accept or reject the Call, but rather appealed to the Nigerian Youth to first consider the most immediate priority on ground, which was to rally support round his Party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) during the Membership Revalidation / Registration Excercuse, to strengthen the stronghold of the Party in the Politics of the Nation, while securing the Stake of the Youth in determining the Party’s nominations for various Elective Positions.
GYB stressed the need of the Youth becoming major Stakeholders in the Political Processes by Identifying with his Party and having good population in its Membership.
It is after that is done that he hoped to sit back with the Nigerian Youth to X-ray the opportunities and possibilities of the Youth Mandate Agenda, which he strongly believes in. Governor Bello urged the Youths to join him across the Six Geopolitical Zones to ensure massive mobilization for APC ahead of 2023
Responding to some critical questions thrown at him by Members of the Press, Comr. Nihi said that the GYB2PYB Group was very sensitive to the issue of Equity in Power Sharing, however, viewed that the greater Equity the country was faced with was Youth Mainstreaming in Governance and Young People Engagement in Critical Decision Making Processes, which was to him, more critical and progressive than any Ethnic or Religious sentiments at this point in our National Develeopment
Defending and justifying the appeal by GYB to the Youths across board to join and mobilize support for APC, the DG explained that APC held a greater opportunity for the Youth and Young Leaders considering the words of President Buhari during the signing into Law of the Not Too Young To Run Bill, whereby the President appealed to the Youth to allow him finish his two Terms of Office and thereafter can run for the Office of the President of Nigeria, thus, placing a morale burden on Mr. President to be true to his words. Comr. Nihi strongly posited that APC remained the most viable option for the Youth and Young People to have a shot at the Presidency of Nigeria through the GYB Agenda.