APC youth forum backs Dayo Israel, warns against parallel youth leadership

A group of young All Progressives Congress (APC) members has thrown its weight behind the party's National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, and cautioned against any move to set up rival leadership structures within the youth wing.

The APC National Young Stakeholders Forum announced its position at a press conference on Thursday at the Progressive Institute in Garki, Abuja. Its National Publicity Secretary, Shehu Attah, read out the group's statement.

The forum said it had watched what it called persistent efforts by some interests to weaken the youth structure for personal reasons. It did not name anyone.

Its members described themselves as founding APC members drawn from all six geopolitical zones, including people who came from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Why it matters

The APC youth wing is a key machine for reaching young voters, and the party is already preparing for the 2027 general election. A public split in that wing could affect how well the party mobilises young Nigerians, who make up a large share of voters.

The forum said respect for party institutions, internal democracy and fairness should guide how disagreements are handled. It urged aggrieved members to take their complaints to the party's National Working Committee (NWC) rather than fight in public.

At the centre of the dispute are campaign vehicles given to some youth leaders. The forum said Israel facilitated the distribution of buses earlier and later sports utility vehicles (SUVs) for selected leaders.

Bukie Okambe, the forum's contact and mobilisation director, said the Prado vehicles were provided by private businessmen, not the government. She urged party members to hear Israel's side before judging the matter.

Another member, Gerald Chinonso Nworisa from Imo State, said the issue goes beyond vehicles. He said he did not receive one himself, but argued that the training and other opportunities Israel has facilitated matter more than who got what.

The forum listed the APC Youth House and Nest Resource Centre, digital skills and vocational training, and the Renewed Hope Conversations in tertiary institutions as achievements under Israel. It said more than 100 young party members and some youth leaders have benefited from overseas training in the past two years.

Dominic Alancha defended the vehicles, saying youth leaders need transport to reach wards and polling units during campaigns.

The convener, Segun Tomori, said the office of the National Youth Leader should be protected beyond whoever holds it. "The institution itself must be respected," he said.

The forum also said it would help spread word about federal programmes for young people, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and education and humanitarian ministry schemes.

What happens next: The forum wants the party's NWC to handle any complaints. Whether the party's national leadership wades in, and how the 2027 campaign unfolds, will show whether the dispute stays contained.