Dayo Israel, the national youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has revealed that the ruling party’s chieftains sidelined him during the electioneering period for the 2023 polls.
Israel made the revelation in an Instagram post on Thursday, August 24.
The Lagos-born politician was reacting to reports suggesting he is at loggerheads with the son of the president, Seyi Tinubu, over the vacant minister of youth position.
Israel is said to be eyeing the position, a move that is said to have irked some youth leaders of the APC.
In his social media post, Israel thanked those who have stood by him, and asked those against him to have a rethink.
He wrote:
”I am grateful to my state youth leaders for their genuine prayers and aspirations for me, irrespective of the letters they were instigated to circulate by some elements who have continued to sow discord in the youth wing of the party. I know your genuine prayers.
”We have all shared friendships and been there for each other without any inducement or coercion. To those who have been hell-bent on frustrating my administration and financially destabilising our structure, please desist from tearing the party apart. You have done enough.
”And for those who think I haven’t been able to help them with my position, please bear with me. Many times, you overestimate the resources available to me.
”Those who have chosen to attack my personality that I don’t carry people along because you have asked me to take you to NNPC, NDDC, etc. for contract or to help you to process debt repayment in government agencies, or speak to governors for assistance for you, please know if it was in my capacity, I would have done it.
”I spent the first five months in office with my NWC colleagues, conducting primaries and trying to meet INEC deadlines as soon as we got elected.
”From there, we went into a full campaign, during which I was largely sidelined and not included in the Presidential Campaign Council. The first time in the history of the party, a National Youth Leader was not a member of the National Campaign of its party.”
He said the fact that the council did not carry him along made him to create the ‘Jagaban Army’, a support group, during the elections.
He added:
”Those who have sworn to frustrate our administration because we were not their choice for National Youth Leader have continued to instigate violence and attack against us. But we are resolute to do the work we have been elected to do.
”I am grateful to those who have stood the cause with us during the challenges of the last one year that we have been continually undermined and pressed. History will be kind to you.
”Despite the intimidation and sometimes embarrassment, my eyes remain firmly on the goal – to help Asiwaju succeed and rebuild Nigeria, either as a National Youth Leader or in any other capacity that may arise.”
