The Northern Youth Conscience (NYC), has reacted against a new publication it said attempted to disparage President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, accusing them of not supporting the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Condemning the report said to be credited to credited to the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), in a statement signed by its Director for Media and Publicity, Comrade Ibrahim Muazzam, on Friday, January 19, 2023, NYC said, his organisation views one “Shettima” who the online report was attributed to, as a “clout-seeking” somebody, and “another mole in the APC ranks, planted to cause disaffection, especially within the North bloc.”
Hence, Muazzam said Shettima’s “comments should be treated as a mere distraction from the business of the day and task at hand undeserving of the attention of any serious minded individual or group.”
The NYC statement is reproduced below in full
FACELESS GROUP DIGS FOR TINUBU CASH CALLING OUT BUHARI, OSINBAJO, OTHERS IN APC
The attention of Northern Youth Conscience (NYC) has been drawn to a story published by an online medium and credited to the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum. The so-called Forum in a statement by one Mr Shettima made vague attempts to accuse the President and Vice President of not backing the APC presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He also alleged conspicuously that the VP is even holding grudges.
In as much as the NYC views clout-seeking Shettima as another mole in the APC ranks, planted to cause disaffection, especially within the North bloc, his comments should be treated as a mere distraction from the business of the day and task at hand undeserving of the attention of any serious minded individual or group. It is however pertinent to clear any doubts that may have been created by his concocted lies, illusions and misconceptions.
For the avoidance of doubt, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has proven, over the years, to be a complete gentleman, a dependable friend, an ally and above all, a man of unquestionable integrity.
Regardless of his differing political views with BAT, Prof Osinbajo has always demonstrated his loyalty to his friends and associates and has done the same with BAT even in the aftermath of the APC Presidential Primaries in 2022.
Contrary to the falsehood churned out by Mr Shettima, Prof Osinbajo has nothing against BAT, in fact, shortly after the primaries, Tinubu visited the VP at his residence in the Presidential Villa and Prof reciprocated the same in different ways afterwards. In an interaction with his supporters at their office in Abuja, a few days after the primaries, Osinbajo declared support for Tinubu.
Since then, both leaders (Tinubu and Osinbajo) have met at different fora, discussing issues bothering on the polity. As a matter of fact, Osinbajo paid Tinubu a visit last December indicative of the cordial relationship that exists between the two of them despite the speculations in some quarters.
ALSO READ: Osinbajo, Tinubu enjoy cordial relationship — Group
This is aside the meeting between both men at the Presidential Villa during the Ministerial Retreat also in 2022.
So, Mr Shettima, who claims to be a well-wisher of the Tinubu campaign team should be calm and be assured of Prof Osinbajo’s esteemed regard for Tinubu. He is indeed a friend and not a foe.
Prof Osinbajo’s absence from the APC Presidential campaign trail which has been the basis of Mr Shettima’s vituperations is rather pedestrian as his decision to focus on governance was a presidential directive to allow the President join the campaign trail while the VP and other ministers focus on the issues of governance.
And President Buhari, in keeping with his promise of joining the campaigns in 10 States, has made appearances in 2 out of the 10, while Prof Osinbajo and other top officials remain focused on finishing what is left of the Buhari administration’s delivery of democracy dividends.
Besides, other party structures at the subnational levels are with BAT in the campaigns, 20 APC State Governors are mobilising for BAT contrary to Mr Shettima’s claims. If he, however, has incontrovertible proof that the governors aren’t with BAT, let him make them public and stop using them as bargaining tools to extort money from BAT. His claim about Amaechi’s lack of support for Tinubu is also unfounded as the former Minister has since joined the campaign trail and has been seen in at least 3 of the campaign stops by BAT and the rest of the team.
What is, however, glaring from the foregoing is that, Mr Shettima is seeking attention and probably presenting a false picture to BAT and the APC PCC in order to be patronised for selfish reasons. He seems to be the only one seeing this gloomy picture of a gang up against Tinubu in the APC.
Whichever way the average political watcher sees it, this unknown Shettima guy is clearly on a voyage of destruction to achieve cheap personal gains, he wants to be patronised by the BAT team.
The questions, however, begging for answers are; Who is Shettima? Who are his sponsors? What are his antecedents? And What is his mission and can he shed more light on the alleged cracks in the APC? Is he a mole or a true friend of BAT and the APC?
Signed:
Comrade Ibrahim Muazzam
Dir. Media & Publicity
Northern Youths Conscience
20th January 2023
