THE leadership of the North-East Youth and Stakeholders Forum of the All Progressive Congress has threatened to withdraw their support for the APC vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
The threat, which seems to have caused a stir in the camp of APC, is coming just 42 days before the 2023 presidential election.
The North-East APC group is arguably one of the dominant voices drumming support for the candidacy of Shettima in the wake of APC standard bearer, Bola Tinubu’s victory after the presidential primary.
Among other things, Hobnob News reported how the group lobbied Tinubu’s camp, the presidency and the leadership of the ruling party to consider zoning the position of running mate to the North East region.
The same political group has, however, made a U-turn at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, vowing that they would withdraw support for the former governor of Borno State for continually undermining its effort.
The Acting Chairman of the APC North-East Youth and Stakeholders Forum, Shaibu Tilde, told newsmen, that Shetima’s snub shortly after his victory has led to the loss of some foundational members of the structure including the Zonal Women Leader, Amina Manga of Bauchi, who defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party with over one million women.
Tilde lamented that another loyalist of Shettima and Treasurer of the group, Yusuf Banki, left for the PDP with over 500,000 youths.
Shettima, to immediately reverse his steps and correct his error for the sake of the party, the region, and the teaming youth.
“It is on record that this group, then led by its Current Acting Chairman, Hon. Shaibu Baffa Tilde, threw their support behind Sen. Kashim Shettima and committed massive resources, both human and financial, to ensure he emerged as the APC’s Vice Presidential Candidate.
We do not seek compensation from Sen. Shettima, but our resentment stems from Sen. Kashim’s failure to recognize a formidable Youth force of the party that stood by him through thick and thin after realising his ambition to become reality as Vice Presidential Candidate from the northeast region.
“As a result, the Northeast APC Youth Forum wishes to withdraw its unequivocal support for Sen. Shettima.
Our actions should not be misinterpreted, but rather judged by our affection for our dear party.
“While we intend to take our next steps regarding his candidacy in the coming days, we would like to express our unwavering support for our Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the APC. We will continue to work for the advancement and victory of our beloved party in the upcoming general elections.”
Reacting to the threat, the spokesman for Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, disclosed such misunderstanding is bound to happen in the build-up to a major election.
