By Chinelo Obogo
Ahead of the forthcoming presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), two groups, the Southern Youth Forum (SYF) and the Arewa Youth Summit Group (AYSG), have urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to pick the immediate past Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi as its presidential candidate, stating that he is the only aspirant with capacity, experience and national appeal.
This is as the groups agreed to work and collaborate for the success of the 2023 presidential election.
Rising from their 2023 strategic meeting held in Lagos, on Thursday, the groups said their coming together was to make a statement on Nigeria being one nation and that the unifying force between the north and south is Amaechi.
Addressing a joint-press conference on Friday, its leaders, Aminu Abubakar and Attaihiru Danladi (Arewa Youth Summit Group) and Oladimeji Odeyemi and Mazi Fidelis Nze(Southern Youth Forum), said that they have already secured about 20 million votes from the youths in both regions to back the former governor’s bid.
“It is based on the qualities which Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has that we, Nigerian youths are calling on Presidential Buhari and APC delegates to queue behind the Ubima born leader.
“His capacity, commitment to good governance, the welfare of the people, critical thinking on programme and policy implementation, approaches on issues that enhance growth and development, and sacrifices for the party, put him in number one position for the highest job in Nigeria.
“As pro APC youths, we already garnered more than 20 million eligible youthful votes for Amaechi and the best decision to take by the ruling party is to elect a candidate that will be accepted by all and sundry.
“Our goal is clear by this working agreement between northern and southern youth, the numbers are rising for Amaechi and the APC must seize the opportunity by electing him at their primaries to be the flag bearer.
“We must do everything possible as a support group to hold and mobilize more grassroots to ensure APC wins the elections come 2023. This is purely our unrivaled opinion and we stand by it that only Amaechi can win the presidential ticket for APC.
“Amaechi is vast as far as state and national politics are concerned and he has paid his dues and the records of his achievements are there in Rivers and at the centre, where he has acquitted himself so well, with so many accolades and awards to his efforts,” the groups noted.