Tonye Tom George is an aspirant for the office of National Youth Leader in the forthcoming national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC). A former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) he spoke to Businessday team of John Osadolor, Obinna Nwachukwu and Godsgift Onyedinefu in Abuja on his aspirations and programmes for Nigerian youths.
Why do you want to be the APC National Youth Leader?
I am an Ijaw man from Calabari in Rivers state. My major aim of contesting for the position of APC’s national youth leader is to cater for the welfare of youths in general. I want youths to be in governance, I want to use my office as APC national youth leader to liaise with the people in government; the Governors, the president to see youths become ministers in this nation. I want to use my office as APC leader to see youths appointed commissioners. That is my interest. The level of poverty in this nation is too much, and when it comes to election, the youths are being used, after being used they are dumped. And you find out that most of the youths don’t ask for their rights. They don’t ask for what they are supposed to get and the poverty rate is so much in the nation. But as a youth leader, I will make sure that the level of poverty among the youths is reduced by facilitating employment opportunities and other empowerment programmes. I will use my office to put youths in positions, by using my office to dialogue for position for our youths, that is my interest and I believe by the grace of God, I’m going to be the APC leader. And when I’m the APC youth leader, the welfare of youths of the nation at large will be catered for by the grace of God.
Come 2023 do you see APC winning at the national level to give you the strength and opportunity to execute your programms?
Yes, sure, APC will win 2023 general election, looking at what they’ve done so far in the country there is no reason Nigerians would not want to vote for the party again as they did in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
Nigerian politics is said to be for the money bags, do you see yourself having the financial muscle when it gets to the convention ground? Who are you depending on and what is your source of funding?
I love this question because I have one source and my source is God. I know with God all things are possible, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And I know with God I’m going to be the next APC national youth leader. Man can give you money and the money will fail you, but once God gives you, you will get it, so I know I’m going to be the youth leader by the grace of God.
There seem to be divided views about the forthcoming APC national convention with some groups calling for its postponement. What is your take? Do you think it will hold?
I strongly believe it will hold because it has been said by the Caretaker Committee Governor Zulum that the convention is in February and by the grace of God, it will take place in February. Whoever that is opposing it has his or her own opinion, which is not the opinion of majority of the party members.
Is it too early to ask whom you are supporting among the aspirants for the national chairmanship position of the party?
Yeah, I think it’s early for me to mention who I’m supporting.
Read also: 2023: Over 30,000 APC youths rally in Ibadan, demands inclusion in governance
But you have a candidate?
Definitely, I have a candidate.
What about elective offices outside of the party such as those of the presidency and state governors?
The truth is that I support whoever appreciates the youths, who has empowered the youths, who has encouraged the youths. And if you look at antecedents, the current minister for transportation Rotimi Amaechi gave scholarship to youths when he was governor of Rivers states, he paid bursary to youths, he also built international standard primary and secondary schools. So most of the things he did as a governor were youth focused. If he comes out today to say that he is contesting for president, I will support him, but so far he has not said anything.
Before you decided to contest for the office of national youth leader you must have done certain things either at the state party level or zonal level that qualifies you for national office. What would you say are your contributions to APC that gives you the confidence that you’ll be elected as the National Youth leader?
I started my political activities from school as Students Union President of the University of Port Harcourt and President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) before I entered the main politics under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Although I have not handled any political office, I have been involved in youth activities and I have my contacts across the nation as former students’ union leader. So, I have party members that were former student union leaders that are working for me across the nation, so the confidence is there.
So far I have reached out to my former colleagues and other party leaders across the 36 states. This is a party election; it’s not like the general election where you go from ward to ward, state to state. It’s the delegates that vote, so we look out for the party leaders that control the delegates and we have been reaching out to them.
Apart from your leadership role in University of Porthacourt and NANS, which other political activity have you been involved in?
Immediately I left SUG President, I was SA to my Local Government Chairman. After that I was involved in the Dakuku Perteside Campaign organisation in 2015. In 2019, I contested for the House of Assembly in Rivers state before we had issues and all APC candidates were disqualified .
You said you will support Amaechi if he declares interest to be president, but he is also accused of being behind the crisis rocking APC in Rivers state. Do you belong to Amaechi camp or the Magnus Abe led camp?
As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing like camp in Rivers state, we have the APC and we have a leader in Rivers state which is Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, I don’t think Magnus Abe is currently having any issues with Amaechi. But i know the leader of APC is Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Are you saying there is no faction in Rivers state APC?
There is no factional in the Rivers state APC.
How would you assess the attitude of APC to youths? Would you say government of today has helped the Nigerian youth and to what extent?
So far the government has done its part and is still doing more like the N-power programme and other youth-focused programmes. But once I’m made APC national youth leader I will make the welfare of youths my priority. I will make sure that youths are considered for key positions be it commissioners, Chief Executive of parastatals and other executive offices. I will lobby to ensure that we have a ministry solely for the youths. I’m not saying all the cabinet should be youths but the Cabinet members should be youth-friendly people. They should also be youth-oriented, they should support the youths, and by the grace of God, I know it is possible.
Based on what you said, how would you assess the composition of the current Federal Executive council, where it appears only one or two members are young people?
That is why we are seeking for someone that love youths in 2023, that’s why we are appealing that someone that loves youths should be the person to rule this nation 2023, so that as a youth leader, I will be able to function effectively.
Are you comfortable that some of the people that are indicating interest for 2023 presidency are not youths?
We will not support anybody that is above 60 years to be our president. I personally will not support anybody that is above 60 years because the person may not be youth-oriented. I will support only those that are youth-oriented because the youths will be the ones that will move this nation forward. So we are going to support only those that are youth-oriented and youth friendly.
Do you see APC actually zoning power to the south?
Sure, APC will zone presidency to the South.
What gives you that confidence?
I believe they will because if you look at the chairmanship position for National chairman, its mostly the North that are contesting for it, nobody from the south is contesting from the people I’ve seen. So I believe the presidency will be zoned to the south, but I cannot categorically tell you that it’s going to south south or southeast or Southwest, but its coming to the south.
What would you say about the issue of tribe and religion in Nigerian politics? As an aspiring youth leader, how do you intend to work on it? Most victims or perpetrators of insecurity are youths, what do you intend to do?
By the grace of God when I’m elected youth leader of APC, I’ll carry out orientation across the country. We are going to re-orientate our youths to know that social vices are not the way to go but entrepreneurship is the best key for them. And when this is successfully done, I believe the level of social vices in our country will reduce. Even killings will be reduced and Boko Haram will be reduced, because when they are meaningfully engaged, they won’t leave their business or what they are doing to cause harm in our society.
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