APC Youth Mobilise Over 30, 000 Young People Make Bold to Demands Youth Inclusion Ahead of 2023 Election

 

The All Progressive Congress Lobby Group, Cross River State organized the first of its kind summit to galvanized Cross River youths to vie for and assume the political position in 2023 elections in the state and Nigeria in general. The event was tagged "Cross River State Youth Summit" which took place at U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

The event brought together, over 30,000 young people from the 18 local government areas of Cross River State to make their request and galvanize more young people to contest for elections come 2023.

The National Youth Leader of the APC Barr Ismaeel Ahmed in his address stated that this was a progression of the Lobby Committee’s agenda to mobilize the party’s youth to occupy the leadership of the party and informed the youths that all NWC and NEC positions of the party were available for them to vie for in the coming APC convention. He commended the Cross River State Lobby Group for the brilliant effort in mobilizing over 30,000 youth from the 183 wards in the State to attend the summit and pledged to continue working closely with the State Party apparatus 

This he said in furtherance of the efforts of the APC National Youth lobby committee that was set up by the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Committee ably led by the Governor of Yobe State His Excellency Mai Mala Buni which began in Abuja with the 1st ever progressives youth conference and thereafter the setting up of the regional lobby committees and then the recent gathering of over 30,000 young people in Ibadan during the South West Progressives Youth Festival. 

Speaking also at the summit, the Governor of Cross Rivers State His Excellency Prof Senator Ben Ayade advocated for the youth stating that the future is now and the youth must take their place now and continue to organize and mobilize. In his remarks, he noted that dedication and determination will be required to achieve the desired goal and the youth must learn to look beyond their background and the conditions of their birth. 

Earlier in his welcome address the chairman of the local organizing committee Oden Ewa whilst appreciating Governor Ayade for his immense contributions towards the empowerment of thousands of young people in the state, noted that a youth successor to the Governor would be the crowning glory of the efforts.

A member of the National Youth Lobby Committee who is also the Commissioner for Finance Asuquo Ekpenyong speaking during the summit reiterated the position of the youth in ensuring that the youth continue to have a better deal in the scheme of things within the party and the government. He used the opportunity of the summit to appreciate the Governor for his commitment to youth inclusion and empowerment. Stressing that the job going forward is the strengthening of the impact so made by deepening the commitment across Nigeria. 

The summit which had more than 20,000 young people drawn from the 16 local governments of Cross Rivers state also had performances from award-winning Kizz Daniel and Iyanya, speeches from Iyinoluwa Aboyade founder of Future Africa, and Kunle Lawal of the Electoral College, also had Gambo Monzo SA Political to President Muhammadu Buhari,  Chairman APC Cross Rivers State Alphonsus Eba Esq, Kanu Agabi SAN, the Deputy Governor Prof Ivara-Esu, the Speaker of Crossriver state Assembly Rt Hon Eteng Jonas-Williams, Senator Ita-Giwa others members of the National Lobby Committee Baffa Saleh, Fatima Kakuri, Abubakar Fakai Sadiq, and many other youth leaders across the APC in Cross Rivers State and national.