TheCable

Youth of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have vowed not to sit back and watch an institution “we have built with our time, energy and resources” destroyed by a selfish few.

They said this during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by youth across the 36 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

According to Dominic Alancha, a youth leader, some of the issues discussed at the meeting were the state of the party, tenure elongation of the national working committee, proposed amendment of the party constitution, among others.

He said they commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Bola Tinubu, national leader of the party, to reconcile aggrieved members.

“One thing is certain, we shall not sit and watch an institution we have built with our time, energy and resources destroyed by a selfish few,” he said in a statement.

“The meeting discussed the crisis rocking the party in so many states, including Kogi, Rivers, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano and welcome the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

“However, we call on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to constitute a team of eminent party leaders and members to help him carry out this assignment of reconciling the aggrieved party members including the younger stakeholders who are equally aggrieved.

“We also call on the party members not to undermine the mission that the President has set out for the National Leader.”

Alancha said the youth differed on the issue of tenure elongation, and consequently decided to continue consultation so as to reach a position on this issue.

He also said the youth would support Buhari, should he decide to seek re-election.

“While we consider this as a laudable development, the motive behind it appears suspicious,” Alancha said.

“As of today, only very few members of the party are aware that there is a draft constitution. One would expect that the party leadership would have publicly displayed the draft constitution for the input of every member, but the whole exercise has been shrouded in secrecy.

“This is simply unacceptable. To many of them, the party is a vehicle for winning elections, to us it is more than that – it is an institution of democracy and we must do everything to preserve it.

“To this end, we the younger stakeholders are calling for a total reform of the party. We have taken steps in this regard by constituting a committee to review the draft constitution with the aim of making provisions that will be to the benefit of all members irrespective of age, gender and other demographies.

“The committee has already begun work in earnest and the recommendations expected would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters. Finally, we resolved not to take anything to chance especially as it concerns the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming election.

“We pledge our unalloyed support for him and assure him of our willing partnership if he chooses to run for another term. This is why the party leadership must hasten the total reform we envisage and this must be done with the constitution as a guide.

“On our part, we shall play every role required of us to ensure that this party is made the party of all interested Nigerians, whether male or female, old or young, rich or poor. We will continue with our consultations with other younger stakeholders of the party and deploy every means possible to achieve our aim.”