A Coalition of 70 Civil Society Organisation(CSOs) has endorsed Malam Saliu Mustapha as the next national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This is contained in a communique by Mr Nuhu Lere, National Co-ordinator, National Grassroots Youth Coalition for Good Governance on Friday in Abuja.
Lere said that the decision to endorse Mustapha’s was taken at a one-day roundtable and media parley.
He said the coalition resolved that Nigerian youths would only support political parties that took their views seriously.
He added that the APC leadership, required individuals with integrity, credibility, necessary exposure and pedigrees like Mustapha.
According to him, recent happenings in the country have shown that increasing the number of youth participation in politics was desired, as were the change agents required to transform the country.
“Political leadership with the involvement of youths in governance is critical to political stability and the survival of our democracy, especially at party levels.
“The participants therefore, unanimously, endorsed and support the aspiration of Malam Saliu Mustapha as the next National Chairman of the APC.
“Nigerian youth will support only political parties that directly appeal to them through the election of one of them as national chairman,” he said.
Lere lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for directing Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha to ensure that youths were appointed on boards of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that notable aspirants so far in the race included former governors and senators.
In the North East, Sen. Ali-Modu Sheriff, a two-term former governor of Borno who has been trailing others in proactive agenda setting, Sen.Danjuma Goje also a former governor of Gombe and Mr Sylvester Monidafe.
Also, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara and former Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum was also in the race.
In the North Central – a former Deputy National Chairman, defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Malam Saliu Mustapha, a former governor of Nasarawa State, Sen. Tanko Al Makura, Sen. Mohammed Sani-Musa and the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Dr George Akume.
The APC National Convention has been fixed for Feb. 26, to elect new national executives to manage the party’s affairs presently being managed by Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee.
The committee was inaugurated on June 25, 2020, to among other things, reconcile aggrieved members of the party and conduct a national convention to usher in a new set of National Working Committee members.