‘We want young candidate’ — APC groups reject Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate

A coalition of support groups in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno, as the running mate of Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.

In a communiqué on Wednesday, 28 leaders of the support groups in the coalition said they want a “young” vice-presidential candidate.

While calling on Tinubu and the party to pick Ibrahim Bello Dauda, an APC chieftain, the groups said they want to ensure a more-inclusive governance process.

Dauda is the former national coordinator of the Muhammadu Buhari media support group.

“We, substantive members of coalition of All Progressives Congress Support Groups, here speaking in one voice and unanimously rejecting in totality the recent announcement of former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima as the running mate to the Presidential Candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the communique reads.

“We emphasise on the fact that this coalition of APC support groups has found Ibrahim Bello Dauda, a true detribalised Nigerian youth leader worthy to be the running mate and Vice President to His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next political dispensation.

“This group cannot but reflect on the fact that most of these political leaders became ministers and governors at their prime youthful age of late 30s and 40s, and were given that opportunity and support by the elders and leaders.

“The question now begging for answers is: Why now are they frustrating youths who are eminently qualified to be selected as vice presidential candidate?

“The ruling APC and its leadership should hearken to the voice of the Nigerian youth now, as this will reaffirm the much-touted promise made by the ruling party APC on youth inclusion in governance.

“The youths will no longer play the role of only supporting the old politicians. We are willing to participate in politics and function appropriately in governance.”

Some of the signatories to the communique are Igwe Ude-Umanta, convener of Coalition of APC Youth Groups; Solomon Adodo, president of National Youth Council of Nigeria; Suleiman Musa, convener of Coalition of Northern Youth Leaders; and Jator Abido, president, Niger Delta Youth Council.

Others include Mohammed Garba Yahaya, director-general of EL-DABI Support Groups; and Zainab Sule, president of APC Women and Youth Grassroots Forum.