Forum Urges Kwara Govt, Stakeholders To Study Report On Electoral Debate
By Taiwo Ogunniyi, Ilorin
The Kwara State Coordinator of All Progressives Youth Forum ((APYF) , Tunde Salau has called on the Kwara State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the APC state Executive led by the Prince Sunday Fagbemi to study the report of the exercise of electoral debate put together by the APYF in conjunction with Progressive National Initiative (PNI)
He, however, described the turnout of aspirants vying for various seats under All Progressives Congress, (APC) to the just concluded debate powered by the forum as impressive and a welcome development for the party ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
He said this when he spoke with newsmen in Ilorin on the successful Organisation of the maiden edition of APC’s intra-party pre-primary electoral debate which took place from Wednesday 17th May, 2022 with aspirants contesting for House of Assembly and National Assembly positions on the platform of the APC physically and virtually participating in the history of the Programme.
Salau noted that the forum remain committed to the working for the unity and shared progress of the APC in Kwara State as they submit their resolution and recommendation to strategic stakeholders within the party.
On what would be the roles of the forum during the primaries he said “It’s not only in this primary. We have been there since the formation of the party in 2014.
APYM was formed immediately the party was formed. It’s a youth wing of the party. We have our coordinators all over Nigeria and we have our leaders in government.
In fact, the founder of this group is Barrister Ismail, the erstwhile youth leader of the party. So, we have been in the party engaging in series of roles ranging from door-to-door campaigns and advising the party as a youth wing and so on and so forth to ensure that we have the best hands in government. Those are our roles.
“Sincerely, the turn up was massive and we really appreciate those that came. We gave them a very short notice. We actually advertised the programme within one week and for us to have such massive turn out it means the aspirants really respect the youths of Kwara State.
They know what we’re capable of doing, they know what we’ve done in the past and they know what we’re actually capable of doing in the future. So I think the turn up was massive considering the short notice given.
On What would be his message especially to the youths as a coordinator of this forum ahead of this primary that is going to start on Thursday, he said “My message to the youths is very very simple. They should not lose hope. Nigeria will be better but it cannot be better if all of us fold our hands. We should all participate in electing the people of our choices.
“Our votes count. That’s another thing I want the youths to know. They should stop meddling in rumour and saying things such as our votes will not count and stuffs like that. They should participate in politics.
“They should come and join APC, join APYM and participate. We all have potentials that God gives everyone. They should not engage in violence, they should not engage in kidnapping and all sort of things.
“They should engage in things that will promote them, that will make them better. Everybody has his own positive potentials. That is the little advice I have for the youths. We are encouraging all youths regardless of which political party they belong to, to go out and enroll on the INEC continuous voters registration exercise that is currently ongoing.
“Because without your voter’s cards you will not be able to vote in the next election. In fact, the platform we have created which is The Electoral Debate will not make a lot of impacts if youths are not able to come out and decisively vote.
“So to complement our efforts, we encourage Kwarans and Nigerian youths generally to come out and register to vote in the elections. And the recommendations we are giving to the party and the governor are recommendations we take very seriously. And we believe that if they are implemented, Kwara State APC would lead the pace in seeing how we can have a very united party even after the elections.
The Kwara State coordinator of Progressive Nation Initiative Soliu Shola Galadima also urged the youth to be peaceful.
“My advice to the youths is to make sure there is peace. They should not allow themselves to be used as political thugs in the process of the election. As we all know Kwara State to be State of harmony.
“We are known for our peaceful way of living and doing things. So it is of this note we crave the indulgence of our youths irrespective of the party they belong to, to make sure there is peace in the atmosphere and not allow themselves to be used as political thugs for any pilitician.
“Politics will come and go but the state still remains our dear state and the progress of our dear state is so paramount to us than any other thing,” he said.
Edited by Felix Ajide
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