A group of youths, under the aegis of the South-West Youths Agenda, has thrown its weight behind Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (APC-Ogun Central), to contest the nation’s presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group, led by its Coordinator, Olujimi Bamgboye, announced the endorsement of Amosun at a news conference on Thursday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the group is a composition of vibrant youths drawn from the business, international, academics communities, as well as young parliamentarians.
Amosun, a former Governor of Ogun, is expected to formally declare his presidential ambition on May 5 in Abuja.
Bamgboye said the track records were enough to make him a good president that Nigeria deserved, adding that the country could not afford to install the wrong president.
“We want to assure Sen. Ibikunle Amosun of our unalloyed support. His track record is enough to make him a good President that Nigeria deserves.
“We have deemed it necessary to join the well-meaning Nigerians who are waiting for Amosun to hit the ground running. We have reliable information that he will declare soon,’’ he said.
Bamgboye said that youths, as major stakeholders in the Nigerian Project, “are very much concerned about the quality of leadership that would emerge in 2023”.
The group coordinator said that the progress of any country would be determined by the qualities of its leaders and commitment.
“Our support for Amosun is based on his tenacity, uprightness, detribalized personality, and experience, both as a senator and former Governor of Ogun who changed the fortune of the state positively.
“During his tenure, he tackled the problem of insecurity in Ogun, which made the state the most secured for investors and was honored as the most security-conscious Governor,’’ he said.
Bamgboye said that Amosun has the capacity to replicate the feat and even do more if given the opportunity to lead the country.
“For a country like Nigeria, we need a unifier which Amosun represents. He understands and respects religious and ethnic diversity.
“Since our interest is to have the best candidate and having carefully considered the antecedents of Sen. Ibikunle Amosun in governance, it is with great pride that we offer our wholehearted endorsement and support for him to become the next President of Nigeria,’’ he said.
Bamgboye called on APC delegates to support Amosun’s aspiration to lead the country forward, saying that they were sure that he would replicate the achievement in Nigeria.
According to him, with our strength in numbers, we will contribute to purchasing his N100 million nomination form by the grace of God.
“Our members are already anxious to start donating, but we are waiting for his declaration before swinging into action,’’ he said.
Bamgboye assured APC leadership that an Amosun presidential candidature would reduce the campaign workload by 50 percent; promising to contact their counterparts in other regions to ensure victory.