Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has authorised the youth wing of the party to set up zonal strategic lobby committees at the State and Ward levels to engage with critical stakeholders within their zones.

The APC National Youth representative in the party’s Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Alhaji Ismaeel Ahmed disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Commending the party’s leadership for adopting part of the recommendations of the recent APC National Progressives Youth Conference, which said that anyone vying for the position of a youth leader in the party in the wards must be between 18-35 years, Ahmed said the move has rekindled the hopes of millions of progressive youths.

He said this should form part of guidelines for the conduct of the party’s upcoming Ward, Local Government and State congresses.

He noted that until now, such youths had been discouraged from participating in the party’s activities and holding elective leadership positions, especially at the grassroots level.

“On our part, we will take this further by setting up Strategic Engagement Committees, which will work in conjunction with caretaker youth leaders in the various zones.

“The committee will engage Governors, Legislators, Ministers, and other leaders and stakeholders in every zone to get more young people to occupy large percentages of the executives at the Ward and Local Government levels.

“We believe that since the battle of the forthcoming elections will be fought for the youth vote, it is wise for our party to fight that battle with youth voice,” he said.

Ahmed urged young progressives to use the occasion of Sallah break to engage and sensitise youths in their wards and polling units to be part of the congresses and to advance the cause of the progressive movement.

Ahmed said the approved committees were to work in conjunction and consultation with the interim youth leaders in their respective domains for maximum impact.

“The Chairman of the CECPC has approved for the Youth Wing of the APC to set up zonal strategic lobby committees. The committees are to engage with party leaders, Governors, Legislators, Ministers, Elders and other critical stakeholders within their zones.

“The committee is to ensure that most party positions are manned by youths at the lower levels,” he said.

Courtesy (excluding headline) Daily Independent

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