The All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups have called on the party leadership to reconsider the choice of a vice presidential candidate by giving Nigerian youths the opportunity to actively participate in choosing the person.

This is coming on the heels of the postponement of formal presentation of Sen. Kashim Shettima, as running mate to Bola Tinubu.

APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had named a former Governor of Borno, Sen. Kashim Shettima, as his running mate, but this has continued to generate controversy because it turned out a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

In a communiqué issued in Abuja, the groups said that they had unanimously rejected “in totality` the choice of Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate.

“We call on the leadership of the APC Progressive Governors Forum and Bola Tinubu to reconsider the choice of a running mate and give support to the Nigerian youths to nominate a young vice-presidential candidate.

“We request the APC leadership to pick Dr Ibrahim Bello Dauda to whom we all rally round and give all our fullest support nationwide ahead of the 2023 presidential election.  He is the Nigerian youth symbol, ” the communiqué said.

The groups stated that they were standing firm on the inclusion of Nigerian youths in governance and urged the APC leadership to give a space to them to exercise their civil rights.

“We emphasise the fact that this coalition of APC Support Groups has found Dr Ibrahim Bello Dauda, a true detribalised Nigerian youth leader, worthy to be the vice president to Tinubu in the next political dispensation,“ the communiqué said.

The youths said Dauda’s gestures had endeared him to all Nigerians, Christians and Muslims alike.

The groups said that Dauda had touched lives beyond religious barriers through all his philanthropic and humanitarian platforms, throughout the length and breadth of the country.

The groups communiqué was jointly signed  by Mr Igwe Ude-Umanta, Convener, Coalition of APC Youth Groups, Mr Solomon Adodo, President, National Youth Council of Nigeria and Malam Suleiman Musa, Convener, Coalition of Northern Youth Leaders.

Others are High Chief Jator Abido, President, Niger Delta Youth Council,  Hon. Mohammed Garba Yahaya Director-General, EL-DABI Support Group, Hajia Zainab Sule, President, APC Women and Youth Grassroots Forum and Prince Miaphen, President, Middle Belt Youth Vanguard.

It was also appended by Hon. Stephen Eriba, Executive Director, Congress of Young Progressives, Comrade Olamide Odumosu, President, APC Youth and Students Movement and Mr Godwin Chukwudi Oluoha, Executive Director, Guardians of Democracy and Development.

Mr Sirajo Abdu Zalanga,  Coordinator and Spokesperson, Northeast Youth Forum, Mr Muhammed Yerima, Secretary General, Arewa Musojunanmu (Northern Connect), Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, Convener, APC Youth Solidarity Network and Jagunmolu Oluwatosin Tomori, President General, Yoruba General Assembly also signed the communiqué. (NAN)