Northern youths reject Sheriff’s APC 2027 campaign appointment

The Northern Youths Frontiers has rejected the appointment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as North-East Zonal Coordinator of the APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, urging the party to reconsider the decision.

The group, in a statement by its North-West Zonal Coordinator, Saminu Tukur, said the call was based on concerns over public confidence and the potential reputational impact of the appointment on the Tinubu/Kashim 2027 campaign.

The NYF said it had been mobilising support for the Tinubu/Kashim project across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said those appointed to prominent campaign positions would become part of the public face of the campaign and should command confidence among voters.

“The central question, therefore, is whether Senator Sheriff’s appointment adds sufficient strategic value to the Tinubu/Kashim campaign to justify the controversy surrounding it,” he stated.

The group said the APC should consider the sensitivities of communities in the North-East, particularly those affected by years of insecurity.

It noted that communities had suffered major social and economic disruptions, while many young people continued to face the consequences of the crisis.

Tukur said political mobilisation in the North required sensitivity to public perception and historical experience.

“But the existence of continuing controversy is itself a legitimate political consideration when determining who should occupy a highly visible campaign position,” he said.

The NYF argued that the APC needed campaign officials capable of communicating its message without unnecessary distractions.

It said the party would need to focus its campaign on security, employment, infrastructure, education, economic opportunities and the welfare of young Nigerians.

According to the group, the controversy surrounding Sheriff’s appointment constituted an “avoidable campaign vulnerability”.

“There is no shortage of experienced political actors across the North who can undertake campaign responsibilities while commanding public confidence and minimising unnecessary reputational distractions,” Tukur said.

The group therefore called on the APC leadership to withdraw Sheriff’s appointment and reconsider the North-East zonal coordination role.

It said doing so would enable the party to refocus attention on its campaign message and strengthen confidence among grassroots supporters.

The NYF also urged the APC to apply stricter standards of credibility, public confidence, political experience and reputational assessment when making senior campaign appointments.

The group maintained that Northern youths, who form a significant part of the electorate and grassroots mobilisation structure, should have their concerns considered in decisions affecting the campaign.

“The APC should choose campaign assets that expand its coalition, strengthen its message and inspire confidence among voters,” Tukur said.

He added that the party should present a campaign centred on its candidate, record and vision rather than controversies surrounding individual campaign officials.