Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday charged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to work hard for the party’s success in the 2023 elections.
According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo made the call when he received a delegation of the APC National Youth Lobby Group at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The group was in the State House to present the report of the APC Youth Conference held in June.
The Vice President told the party members that the bulk votes the party garnered in the 2015 and 2019 elections may not be available in 2023 because President Muhammadu Buhari whose personality attracted the votes would not be on the ballot in two years’ time.
He charged the APC youth wing to build a stronger membership base from the grassroots.
Osinbajo said: “This lobby group will need to deal with the issue of inclusion at the grassroots first.
“Today, the APC can win elections, why not. We have a very popular President who can control significant votes, we have partners everywhere.
“Whereas, in the coming years, when we do not have such a political leader who is as popular as the President, you are going to need to do the hard work. We can’t assume that the votes will all come in.
“I think that your group is more relevant today than ever before because you are not only representing young people, but you have the energy to make sure that this party actually works for all Nigerians.
“One of the great opportunities that we have is that we have young people like people here who are interested enough in politics. All of you have shown your capacities in various ways, those who are in government have shown that they can do stuff.
“So, the next hard work now is how to get the younger people in our communities, in our society into this party and to see themselves as part of this party, in their hundreds of thousands, in their millions. That is the next thing to do. I hope that you will apply your resources and energy to do this.”
