By Jude Opara with agency report
The Ondo Progressive Youth Forum has warned against alleged attempts by some members to destabilize the youth structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The forum also declared its support for the appointment of the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, as Director of Youth Mobilization for the President Bola Tinubu/APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the forum’s leader, Damilola Abegunde, accused some party members of using media appearances to create divisions within the APC and challenge decisions already taken by the party’s leadership.
The group maintained that Olawande’s appointment was made by President Tinubu and should be respected by party members.
It added that the President’s decisions regarding the campaign structure should not be questioned in ways that could undermine party unity.
According to the forum, Olawande had been working with the Ondo State APC youth leadership to mobilise support for Tinubu even before his formal appointment as director of youth mobilization for the 2027 presidential campaign.
The group said the minister had been coordinating youth mobilization and empowerment initiatives across the country in preparation for the next general election.
It also identified the ongoing National Youth Conference as one of the initiatives under Olawande’s leadership, aimed at bringing young Nigerians together, promoting their participation in governance and building support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“The interest of the President is our interest. The position of the President is the position we will abide by. We therefore find it laughable that a few individuals would come together to discredit the authority of the President and question a decision he has taken in the overall interest of the party,” the statement read.
The forum further highlighted what it described as the minister’s achievements, arguing that his understanding of young people’s concerns had contributed to his mobilization efforts.
It called on APC youths in Ondo State and across the country to resist what it termed attempts by intruders to create confusion within the party’s youth structure.
The group urged youth leaders and members to remain united, loyal to the party’s leadership and focused on the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
It reiterated its support for Olawande’s appointment and called for cooperation among party stakeholders to strengthen the youth mobilization structure ahead of the polls.
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