From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
All Progressives Congress (APC) youth group, National Youth Network (APC-NYN) has cautioned the party’s national leadership against celebrating defectors with questionable character joining the party.
APC-NYN equally urged the party to be guided by equity, party manifestos, preponderant feelings of the Nigerian people in deciding the zoning of 2023 presidential ticket.
The group stated this at a press conference in Abuja addressed by National Coordinator, Titus Targuma; National Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Sabo and National Public Secretary, Usman Apaya.
The group said it observed that, in the bid to attract more members to the APC and sway the ranks of those that are seen as bringing better fortunes to the ruling party, “the door of the party has been deliberately widely opened to allow all manner of persons into the party.”
“We, therefore warn that, care must be taken to balance our quest for membership with the interest, the party advances to fight corruption, which happens to be one of the cardinal objective which the Nigerian electorate welcomed us in 2015. Our group is concerned that, it seems that men and women, who have been accused of perpetrating all manners of official sleaze, corruption and stealing, now feel that the only thing to do to be allowed to continue to enjoy their loots, is to jump into the saving ship of the ruling party. We must not encourage this mindset in order not to toe the ignominious path of the PDP in its heyday,” the group said.
On zoning and the quality of party’s leadership it said: “The network also considered the current clamour for the zoning of the presidency of the country to a different zone other than where it is currently held and advises the party to be guided by equity, party manifestos, the preponderant feelings of the Nigerian people and justice whenever the time comes to take a decision on the issue.
“The network, equally, examined the current zoning arrangements for official party positions at the national level and noted that, all the zones should be considered where it should be and the youths totally inclusiveness as the congress begins. The network also identified, considered and deeply examined the personal qualities to be possessed by party leaders and stalwarts that should be voted in as the next national chairman of the APC and wishes to convey that, the expected individual must above all other qualifications, possess the following.”