Ogun State APC youths demand 40% appointments in Dapo Abiodun’s cabinet

Following the pledge by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun that women will constitute 40 or 50 per cent of his cabinet, the youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state have also demanded 40 per cent of political appointments for youths from the governor.

They made the demand during a press briefing at the yearly general meeting of the APC youth wing held at the APC secretariat in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The convener of the meeting, Rasheed Ariboto, told journalists that the youths should be rewarded with political appointments for supporting the governor and the party in the last election.

Ariboto said that the state had innovative and politically- experienced youths to form part of the governor’s cabinet, cautioning him not to ignore the youths “like his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.”

According to him, the youths remain vital components of electioneering, hence, the dividend of governance should be evenly shared with the youthful populace.

He said: “The governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, just recently made it known that his cabinet will be shared with women of the state up to 50 per cent of his cabinet members. This laudable development has since then left the youths of the state wondering in their thoughts. Are we youths considered as an apex body of this government? Is this government actually interested in paying back the youths who stood firmly during turbulent times? Are the youths now considered as aliens, a misfit or being surplus to requirement in governance?”

“Is the governor trying to say that “amid millions of youths in the state, none is capable of holding position in his administration.

“This calls for a serious scrutinisation as it is an established fact that “no government can be put in place without the inclusiveness and support of the youth populace.”

“Ogun State is blessed with innovative and politically-experienced youths who are well capable of being a commissioner, senior special assistant, special assistants and local government liaison officers to the governor on various levels. However, the governor is making the youths of the state assume that he is planning to walk in the shoes of his predecessor who made the youths suffered so much despite their involvement in putting him at the helm of the state affairs.”

However, the youths passed a vote of confidence on the governor’s administration style, decrying assumptions that he was slow.

They said the governor had so far exceeded expectations despite his short-time in office.