13 youth groups from the country’s six geopolitical zones, including the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), have rejected the choice of former Borno State governor, Mallam Kashim Shettima Mustapha, as the All Progressives Congress, APC Vice Presidential candidate to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying Shettima is unacceptable to the country’s over 30 million youths.

In a letter to Tinubu, the youth groups also stated that after months of consultations and interaction across ethnic and religious divides, it was agreed that it would be in the best interests of the youths to present Dr Ibrahim Bello Dauda, also known as EL-DABI, as the party’s presidential running mate to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ex-Militant Generals in Niger Delta, National Association of University Students (NAUS), National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES), and All Farmers Progressive Association were among the youth organizations (AFPA).

Others include the Yoruba General Assembly (YGA), the Coalition of Northern Christian Youth Groups, the EL-DABI Grassroot Mobilization Movement, the EL-DABI Support Groups, the EL-DABI Women Support Network, and numerous Youth and Women Support Groups for EL-DABI in all 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, as well as EL-DABI professionals in politics who have endorsed EL-DABI.

After debate, the organizations claimed in a resolution that “the youths, as essential players in the politics of the country, shall fight and struggle against the pairing of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima Mustapha for the 2023 presidential elections.”

The statement, signed by the Youths Coalition’s Director of Communication, Comrade Salisu Olowonikoko, and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, stated that the youth groups involved are “not only a major stakeholder in the Niger Delta, but as Nigerians, we owe our nation a duty in ensuring that quality leadership emerges, as the nation moves towards another very important exercise of electing her leaders in 2023.”

Today, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) joined all of the above-mentioned organisations in making our stance known to Nigerians and the rest of the world, and after multiple deliberations inside the Niger delta, we have decided to choose Dr Ibrahim Bello Dauda EL-DABI as the youth representative.

“Dauda is neither a Christian or a Muslim, a Northerner or a Southerner, but a unifier and personification of patriotism.” As a result, we strongly urge the APC to choose him as the party’s running partner.

You have our entire guarantee that if our simple plea is accepted, the IYC would work relentlessly to assure the party’s support. This will indicate beyond words the APC’s youth inclusion push and will support the re-unification of our precious country’s youth and people.

“It is time to let go of the sentiments and feelings that have divided us as a nation.” We have coexisted happily without these feelings, and we are certain that we will be better off without them. Leadership should be about ideals, integrity, character, ethics, and patriotism, not feelings. Ibrahim Bello Dauda, M.D. Amazing personality with a proven track record will bridge the age gap between the elderly and the young.

“He is a detribalized Nigerian of extremely high reputation and integrity, a well-bred professional, a technocrat, and a proponent of digital leadership for long-term development.” EL-DABI is a qualified Project and Program Manager, a certified Risk and Loan Manager, and a certified Forensic Graphologist in addition to being a Chartered Management Accountant.

“He also has a Professional Diploma in Intelligence, is Certified in Cyber Security, and has a Professional Diploma in Criminology and Security Studies with a valid certificate from the International Security Organization.”