By Jude Opara, Abuja
Barely four months of his emergence as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a support group of the party under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress, Youth Solidarity Network (APC-YSN) has issued a two-weeks ultimatum to Prof. Nantawe Yelwatda to resign or face a mass action.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, the APC-YSN said Yilwatda has failed the leadership test in all ramifications, adding that under his chairmanship, the popularity of the APC has. continued to diminish on daily basis.
The group further argued that unless a decisive action is taken now, the continuous stay in office by Yilwatda will make the reelection bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu more difficult.
“Yilwatda boasts that more governors are joining the APC, which is adding to its popularity. But the truth is: if governors defection to the APC makes it more popular, why is he refusing and blocking his own Governor, Caleb Muftwang from joining the party?
“Yilwatda has criticised his governor, the man who defeated him in the 2023 governorship elections as having no political value and therefore should not be allowed to join the APC. The actions of the National Chairman have exposed the danger of assembling governors without electoral value.
“But in truth, there is no governor in Nigeria today who does not have electoral value, therefore, for the National Chairman of the ruling party to think so, he does not understand the political terrain of Nigeria and should be relieved immediately. In fact, he is still largely a political neophyte for the kind of heavy political responsibilities on the shoulders of a Chairman of the ruling party”.
The group equally alleged that so far the affairs of the party are being run by the National Secretary, Sen. Surajudeen Ajibola Bashiru because Yilwatda has no charisma and capacity to run the party.
“It is obvious that Nentanwe has no charisma, capacity and the clout to command respect even among party members. Since his assumption of office, the National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Bashiru has been the one in charge of the party’s affairs. The National Secretary spearheaded the mismanaged Ekiti State APC Governorship Primaries, which now leaves a big vacuum, calling for immediate reconciliation if the party must retain its relevance in the state”.
The APC-YSN also accused the National Chairman of neglecting the staff of the party, especially the junior ones, by deliberately refusing to acknowledge in terms of welfare and working relationship.
“The party under Nentanwe is silent in terms of mobilisation of support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration. Solidarity is dead in the party and the hitherto growing popularity of the party among millions of everyday party foot soldiers is now declining on a daily basis”.
While calling on President Tinubu to intervene, the group further threatened to mobilize thousands of party faithful to shut down the National Secretariat and demand his exit.
