By ANGELA ATABO

Senior figures of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have called on North-West political appointees and youths to mobilise for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 General Elections, describing the task as a “pay-back time.”

The leaders, including the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Advisers and Ministers, made the call at the “Renewed Hope Promise Kept 2027:Meet and Greet North-West Mobilisation ”organised by the Minister of State for Works, Alhaji Bello Goronyo

According to them, all political appointees must actively participate in party politics and mobilise to pay Tinubu’s goodwill, insisting that there is “nothing like technocrats” in governance, as the party begins early preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Yilwatda emphasised party loyalty, grassroots mobilisation and visible political participation by those holding government appointments,adding that political appointments are earned through votes and party loyalty, not technocratic credentials.

He commended the convener of the meeting, Goronyo for organising the event assuring him of informing Tinubu of what he did, which should be used as a reference point for all ministers and appointees of government.

Yilwatda said, “We should always look back, refresh our minds, look from where we are coming from and what brought us here. It is the votes.

“There is no vote called technocrats. They are all political appointees.

“Once you are given a political appointment, you are a politician. Simple and short. So, in 2027, as a party chairman, I will stand strong to defend the position that if you are not prepared to join us, you shouldn’t be given an appointment.

“We encourage and support the members of the political party to be in position. If you are a technocrat, go and be a consultant.

“But not taking a political appointment, and not going back to support the party that brought you to power.

“If all the appointees decide to become technocrats, the party will never return back to power. So there is nothing like technocrats. And as a party chairman, I stand with that position.”

Yilwatda stressed that all the appointees should combine politics with governance, adding that government policies were campaign promises made to the electorate and should be defended and explained by those implementing them.

The APC chairman described the North West as the “bedrock” of the party’s success in the 2023 elections, assuring party members that the region would remain decisive in 2027.

Citing party data, he said the North West currently accounts for about 20 per cent of total APC membership nationwide, the highest of any zone, with young people forming the majority.

He commended Tinubu for a strong youths inclusion and delivery on campaign promises, highlighting initiatives such as the student loan scheme, national health insurance scheme, transformation in the health, humanitarian and other sectors that the president had delivered.

Also speaking, Special Adviser on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), Hadiza Bala-Usman, said the North-West delivered the highest number of votes for APC in 2023 and should remain united to deliver even more in 2027.

She added, “We are a vote basket and we must retain that.Nobody should work hard to win elections while others stroll in to collect appointments and hide behind being technocrats.”

Bala-Usman warned that political appointees who failed to campaign and mobilise for the party would not be tolerated.

“Once you are a political appointee, you must come out, show your face, show your hand, and support the party,” she said.

The Minister of State for Works and former APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC)Director,Youths Mobilisation, Bello Goronyo, said the meeting demonstrated the strength of APC leadership and unity, particularly in the North West.

Goronyo said the meeting aimed to appreciate and give awards to all the foot soldiers that worked for the party in 2023 and reminding them of more work for 2027.

He said, “The journey has just begun. You are our ambassadors, you are our post soldiers and with the North-West having more than 60 per cent of agile youths, men and women, working day and night to ensure that we deliver to Nigeria the best of the best of the best of leadership under Bola Tinubu.

“We will continue to support you and engage you day and night because Bola Tinubu is not just working for himself,he is not a regional president, he is a president for all.

“You can see it from the infrastructure that is crisscrossing the road arteries of this nation. Is it Sokoto-Badagry, which is a stretch of over 1,068 kilometers with CCTV and solar light and continuously reinforced concrete?

“We have never had it before.It is a dream of over 40 years, but today it is becoming a reality.”

Goronyo highleighted major infrastructure projects to include the,Sokoto-Badagry super higways, Lagos-Calabar coastal road and progress on the long-delayed Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road among others as remarkable road infrastructure by this administration.

“We have found a president committed to unity, progress and development,” he said, urging party members to continue voter registration and mobilisation ahead of future elections.

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said APC remained the only party capable of effectively projecting government achievements and youths to stay engaged in grassroots politics.

Goronyo remarked,” I started from the party structure unit youth leader, ward youth leader, local government youth leader.This party gives opportunity to those who start early and stay loyal.

“Everything that this government is doing, President Bola Tinubu is for the young people.We young people are the ones that are going to reap from it.

“Now students are not sent out of school because they cannot pay school fees. Now we have a lot of people that are giving stipends.

“We are saying that young people should listen and come closer to ourselves. That we can protect them. We are saying we can empower them. We can also support them.”

The Minister of State, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Tanko Sununu, also praised President Bola Tinubu’s initiatives especially the student loan scheme, describing it as a turning point for education access in the North West.

“The NELFUND is for you. It is empowering our youth and removing poverty as a barrier to education,” he said, calling on the party members to continue supporting the president.

Other speakers, including the Minister of Regional Development and the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), underscored the critical role of youths in politics, particularly in the North West, where they make up more than 60 per cent of the population.

They urged the ministers and appointees to fund and support youths-led programmes, showcase tangible achievements, and mobilise aggressively ahead of 2027. (NAN)