‘Future is now’: APC youths hit Calabar

The Cross Rivers State Youth Lobby Committe organized a Progressive Youth Summit in Calabar on Saturday with over 25,000 youths in attendance.

The summit, themed “Future is now”, is part of the events leading to the National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The National Youth Leader of the APC Barr Ismaeel Ahmed in his address stated that this was a progression of the Lobby Committee’s agenda to mobilize the party’s youth to occupy the leadership of the party.

He informed the youths that all NWC and NEC positions of the party were available for them to vie for in the coming APC convention.

Ismaeel commended the Cross River State Lobby Group for the brilliant effort in mobilizing over 25,000 youth from the 183 wards in the State to attend the summit and pledged to continue working closely with the State Party apparatus.

Speaking also at the summit, the Governor of Cross Rivers State His Excellency Prof Senator Ben Ayade advocated for the youth.

He stated that the future is now and the youth must take their place now and continue to organize and mobilize.

Ayade noted that dedication and determination will be required to achieve the desired goal and the youth must learn to look beyond their background and the conditions of their birth.

Earlier in his welcome address the chairman of the local organizing committee Oden Ewa whilst appreciating Governor Ayade for his immense contributions towards the empowerment of thousands of young people in the state, noted that a youth successor to the Governor would be the crowning glory of the efforts.

A member of the National Youth Lobby Committee who is also the Commissioner for Finance Asuquo Ekpenyong speaking during the summit reiterated the position of the youth in ensuring that the youth continue to have a better deal in the scheme of things within the party and in the government.

He used the opportunity of the summit to appreciate the Governor for his commitment to youth inclusion and empowerment.

He stressed that the job going forward is the strengthening of the impact so made by deepening the commitment across Nigeria.

The summit which had more than 20,000 young people drawn from the 16 local governments of Cross Rivers state also had performances from award-winning Kizz Daniel and Iyanya, speeches from Iyinoluwa Aboyade founder of Future Africa and Kunle Lawal of the Electoral College, also had Gambo Monzo SA Political to President Muhammadu Buhari, Chairman APC Cross Rivers State Alphonsus Eba Esq, Kanu Agabi SAN, the Deputy Governor Prof Ivara-Esu, the Speaker of Crossriver state Assembly Rt Hon Eteng Jonas-Williams, Senator Ita-Giwa others members of the National Lobby Committee Baffa Saleh, Fatima Kakuri, Abubakar Fakai Sadiq, and many other youth leaders across the APC in Cross Rivers State and national.