All Progressives Congress (APC) youths from Benue South senatorial district have kicked against moves by some elders opposing the ministerial nomination of Prof Joseph Utsev, a Tivman, from the state.
Accordingly, they asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore the elders, even as they appealed to the president to rather consider younger Idoma/Igede persons who have worked for the party for federal appointments, including the ministerial nominee for the North Central zone.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, convener of the APC youth forum and a chieftain of the APC, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, noted that Chief Audu Ogeh and others signed a letter endorsing Godday Samuel Adagboyi as the choice of the Idoma/Igede people of Benue South without consultations with critical stakeholders and party leadership in the zone.
This, he said, happened long before the appointment of Sen George Akume as secretary to the government of the federation.
Ogenyi stated: “However, the zone has produced two Senate Presidents, Federal Ministers and head of Agencies of government including one of the older persons, Chief AuduOgbeh who sat for the Press conference against the choice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ministerial nominee. In fact, the first Federal Minister from the Benue axis in Nigeria is of the Idoma extraction, in person of Late Chief J. C Obande.
“We read with great dismay, the press conference by some idoma/Igede older persons most of whom are not of the APC stock, people who never Campaign for the Party, some were even seen campaigning for other political parties and made statements on National television against the APC and voted against Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“When it was time to unite the Idoma/Igede nation, one Johnson Inalegwu Agada who was part of the 29th July, press conference, led a group of Idoma/Igede people in the guise of G-9 and went round candidates of opposition parties, a sabotage that heavily reduced the collective votes of our party in Zone C.
“Some of the persons including a former House of Representative Member Godday Samuel Adagboyi lost his re-election bid on the hill of his indecisive nature of campaigning for his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“It was alleged that it was Godday Samuel Adagboyi who introduced Mr Peter Obi to Pastor Dr Paul Enenche, the reason why he refused to join the State Campaign team safe for his personal electioneering Campaign which he printed all his campaign materials without the picture of the President, Vice Governor or Senatorial Candidates of the APC. To the glory of God, he was the only House of Representatives candidate of APC who lost his election in Benue State.”
Urging President Tinubu to consider a younger person from Idoma/Igede axis, the APC youths said:l, “The elders abandoned the campaign completely, most of them voted against the APC during the elections and they are now the ones complaining about appointment. This is the reason why we preached synergy during the elections and the need to work wholeheartedly for the APC.
“While we sincerely wish the Idoma/Igede nation is given the opportunity to produce a Federal Minister, which is still possible with the second batch of ministerial nominee, we expect the elders to congratulate the Benue State nominee just as the leader of the party, Sen George Akume did when Comrade Abba Moro was appointed Minister during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with Sen. David Mark as Senate President. Both Mark and Abba are from zone c extraction.
“While passing vote of confidence on the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen George Akume.
“We appeal that the younger Idoma/Igede people who have worked for the party should be considered for Federal appointments as we are ably qualified for all available positions.”
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