North-east APC group blasts Keyamo over ‘cheap blackmailers’ comment, rejects Shettima

Some youths of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the aegis of the North-east APC Stakeholders Forum has blasted the spokesman of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Festus Keyamo, for describing them as ‘cheap blackmailers’ over their stand against the vice presidential candidate of the party, Kashim Shettima.

The group, however, insisted that it has withdrawn their support for Shettima over mass defection of APC supporters in the North-east.

The APC North-east group had earlier accused Senator Shettima of turning blind eyes to the mass defection of APC supporters into PDP in the region but they described as ‘cheap blackmailers’ by the PCC spokesperson.

Reacting to Keyamo’s comment, however, the group in a statement Saturday in Abuja, by its acting chairman, Hon. Shaibu Baffa Tilde, said the Minister did not understand the calibre of youth and the extent of their fibres in the North-east region of the party.

According to Tilde, what has become a source of worry for his group is the unsavoury and scathing attack launched at us by the APC presidential spokesman Barr. Festus Keyamo.

“While we intend not to join issues with Mr. Keyamo, we are however obligated to set the records straight so as to mitigate the poignant narrative Mr. Keyamo is constructing around our noble group and clear intentions and love for our great party.

“Firstly, it’s clearly manifest that Mr. Keyamo does not understand the calibre of youth and the extent of their fibres in the North-east region of the party and therefore can resort to calling us names as ‘cheap blackmailers’. This is rather unfortunate that the spokesman of our party has tuned his war asernal against his fellow partymen with a common goal to win the 2023 election.

“No one can deny that gale of defection our party has suffered in the region in the last few months. Our group note with dismay that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria rather than being introspective on the germane issues we raised that are affecting the fortunes of our party in the region instead chosed to play to the gallery by calling us blackmailer and attention seekers. This is unfortunate and most quite shameful.

“Secondly, we wish to remind Mr. Keyamo that we are not seeking for empty attention neither do we want to be pampered. It is important to school Mr. Keyamo that this group did not emerge from the blues. We have been on this journey from time on set. For the records, this group has spent millions of naira mobilising support for both Sen. Kashim Shettima and by extension the APC.

“We have held many press conferences and organise strategic meetings with relevant stakeholders within and outside the North-East region all in support of our great party, APC. How can we now stand and watch what we have laboured for slip away from us when we have an opportunity to avoid it.

“We cannot at this moment risk an avoidable ship wreck by the action of one reckless individual. We cannot simply shout up until the right thing is done for the interest of our party.

“Thirdly, Mr. Keyamo has blatantly discredited our defection statistics asserting that the entire Northeast region will have nobody to vote for the APC if 8 million voters defect from the party. In his views, the total number of registered voters in the North-east put together will not be up to 8 million but the recent figure of registered voters released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows that out of the 93.5 million people registered, North-East region has a total of 12.5 million voters. The figure has therefore vindicated our and expose the crass ignorance of Mr. Keyamo and his skewed narrative on our ground.”

While declaring total support for the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the group said: “Finally, it will do our party much good to address the gale of defection its suffering from the region as a result of the action of our Vice Presidential Candidate Kashim Shettima. Turning a blind eye to the grievances will amount to fatal consequences. We the North-East APC Youth Stateholders remain committed to the success of our party and its Presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu come February 25, 2023.”