The APC National Young Stakeholders Forum has declared its unflinching support for the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dayo Israel, and passed a vote of confidence in his leadership.
The forum made the declaration at a press conference held at the Progressive Institute, Garki, Abuja, on Thursday.
In a statement signed by Shehu Attah on behalf of the forum, the group said the press conference was convened to make its position unequivocally clear on the need to respect the office of the National Youth Leader and protect the sanctity of party structures.
The forum described its members as young stakeholders and founding members of the APC across the six geopolitical zones who have contributed immensely to the electoral triumph of the party since inception.
It said members have watched with consternation the unrelenting attempt by some vested interests to stifle and weaken the national youth structure on the altar of personal and primordial considerations.
“We believe that the strength of our party lies not only in its electoral victories but also in its respect for established institutions, internal democracy, justice, fairness, and the rule of law,” the forum said.
“It is against this backdrop that we declare our unflinching support for the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, and reaffirm our commitment to protecting the integrity of his office in the overall interest of the party and Nigerian youths.”
The forum said it has closely observed the activities of Mr Israel over the years and that he has performed creditably.
It cited the establishment of the APC Youth House, Nest Resource Centre, which it said has pioneered digital skills and capacity building alongside vocational training, town hall meetings and empowerment programmes.
It also cited the strategic youth engagement initiative tagged “Renewed Hope Conversations” launched in tertiary institutions, which it said bridges the gap between the Federal Government and young Nigerians by bringing students, policymakers and senior government officials into the same room to explain government policies and garner feedback.
The group said over 100 party youth and some youth leaders across the country have benefited from several overseas capacity-building and training programmes over the past two years, in an attempt to address agitation for an improved reward system within the youth wing.
“Despite the sustained onslaught against his office, the National Youth Leader has held his own, literally breaking water out of stone to perform the function of his office. With the little resources he has been able to muster through personal goodwill, he has redefined the youth leadership, making quite an unprecedented impact in the history of the party,” the forum said.
The forum also commended Mr Israel for efforts to boost the morale of youth leadership through the recent facilitation of campaign mobilisation vehicles to selected youth leaders and the earlier distribution of buses to others.
It said this has sent a strong signal within the youth wing that the era of “monkey dey work, baboon dey chop” is gone.
“Now, our youths will be energised to work for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu knowing fully well that the reward system has improved and can only get better,” it said.
Vote of confidence
The forum said it considers it inappropriate for any individual or group, no matter how highly placed, to engage in actions aimed at undermining the authority of the office or creating parallel centres of influence outside established party structures.
It described the office of the National Youth Leader as a critical institution within the APC’s organisational structure, serving as a vital link between the party’s leadership and its youthful constituency, which constitutes an important component of the party’s mobilisation, grassroots engagement, and electoral strength.
“In view of the foregoing, we pass a Vote of Confidence on Dayo Israel as the National Youth Leader and declare our unalloyed support for his leadership,” the forum said.
Warning against factional manoeuvres
The forum said political ambition and personal disagreements must never become excuses for disregarding party institutions.
It urged all contending interests to respect the office of the National Youth Leader, refrain from actions capable of provoking needless tension, and allow the party’s recognised structures to function without undue interference.
“We declare that any attempt to weaken the office of the National Youth Leader through factional manoeuvres or personal power struggles will be fiercely resisted.
“We cannot risk sending the wrong signal to millions of young Nigerians who look to the APC for inclusion, opportunity, and political advancement,” it said.
The group acknowledged that disagreements and competing interests are not unusual in a large political organisation such as the APC, but said the maturity of a political party is demonstrated by its ability to manage such differences through established procedures rather than through veiled confrontations, instigated factional divisions, or subterranean attempts to undermine validly constituted party structures.
Call for unity
The forum called on all young people in the APC to close ranks and unite behind the National Youth Leader.
It said the need to de-escalate tensions, respect the party’s internal processes, and refrain from actions that could deepen divisions cannot be overemphasised as the party heads into the thick of the campaign season.
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“The focus should be on uniting to deliver Mr President’s reelection, not internal warfare,” it said.
It urged all stakeholders to refrain from actions, statements, or manoeuvres capable of casting unnecessary doubt on the legitimacy of the authority of the National Youth Leader or encouraging parallel claims to authority outside the party’s recognised processes.
Where any matter requires clarification or resolution, ” the forum said, “it should be referred to the appropriate party authorities.
“This is the surest way to protect institutional credibility, promote fairness, and prevent avoidable disputes from escalating,” it said.
The forum said its unequivocal support for Mr Israel is also a statement of principle: that party structures must be respected, due process must be upheld, and the integrity of the APC’s youth leadership must be preserved.
