The Youth Advocates for Change (Y4C) said it has “decided to suspend its non-partisan position in the interim to emphatically endorse the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari as its preferred choice for the upcoming February 14th Presidential elections after a unilateral decision by its members.”
Group Secretary ,Fahad Isa said in a statement “This decision comes on the heels of a painstaking deliberation and comprehensive assessment of all the presidential candidates available. Having had the privilege to study these candidates in their campaign rallies and other fora, the group was able to draw a long line of criteria such as leadership strength, personal integrity, commitment, patriotism and other pertinent skills critical for the Nigerian leader that is to lead Nigerians out of this conundrum we find ourselves in.
“And in all of these, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the APC towers high amongst the rest. Having spent his youthful years fighting with his sweat and blood to keep this nation one, and in the last 12 years sacrificing and committing fully to deepening and entrenching democratic ideals, Buhari is one person whose love for Nigeria is not in doubt even by his most ardent critics.
“ It is our hope that Nigerians, especially the youth will throw their weight behind this man of supreme dedication, honesty and service to steer the affairs of the Nigerian state from despondency and gloom to prosperity and social justice for all. We shall in the closing days embark on a major nationwide evangelism of the ‘BUHARI’ gospel; where we shall intimately engage the people on the need to come out and unanimously vote for a new and changed Nigeria.
Also, “The group would like to reiterate that the 14th and 28th February dates fixed by the INEC for the general elections remain sacrosanct and that any attempt by 5th columnists to blackmail and force INEC into postponement of the polls is nothing short of a call to chaos and confusion, God forbid. INEC must within all lawful means reject such calls and ensure that the right thing is done.
It joined other stakeholders to call on INEC to ensure that all registered voters get their PVCs before 14th February 2015. “We must commend INEC for extending the deadline of PVC collection until 8th February 2015; and we urge all registered voters to use this opportunity to collect their cards,” the statement said.
It also called on Nigerians and other relevant stakeholders such as INEC, the security officials, local and international electoral observers to all work in tandem to ensure a peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in the country.
