The Alliance of Northern Progressive Youth (ANPY) has drummed up support for Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for the ruling All Progressives Congress chairmanship in the forthcoming convention slated for March 26.
Director of Gender and Governance of the ANPY, Ms. Amina Lawi Wakawa, who made the call at a a press conference in Abuja, said Al-Makura’s aspiration to vie for the party’s top job was not accidental as he has tremendous hope in a party he helped to build and played key role in the negotiations leading to the merger that produced APC in 2013.
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She stated that Al-Makura at the helm affairs of the APC is poised to consolidate its grip on power and to sustain all the development initiatives achieved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
She said: “With Senator Al-Makura as the national chairman of the party, it is a win-win for the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari and all progressive minded Nigerians.”
The alliance admonished the leadership of the party to avoid imposition of any candidate in the name of consensus or alleged presidential endorsement.
“We believe President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of integrity who respects the provision of law and national interest and will not impose or support any candidate in the party. APC as the ruling party, must ensure internal democracy with view to deepen democratic culture in the country.’’
Ms. Amina also called on the party not to entrust the leadership of the party in the hands of those who fought democracy and the party during its formative days in the country.
The alliance also warned that by the time the leadership of the ruling party imposed a leader that is not their choice, they’d show the party that youth are ready to take over.