Stakeholders and the youth wing of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are actively campaigning for their preferred candidates to occupy the vacant position in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's cabinet – the role of Minister of Youth. The vacancy arose due to the recent reassignment of Abubakar Momoh to the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
A collective of State APC Youth Leaders, in a letter dated August 21, 2023, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has urged the president to entrust the decision of appointing the Minister of Youth to his son, Seyi Tinubu. This appeal came as they rejected the endorsement of the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, for the ministerial position by deputy national youth leader, Jamaludeen Kabir, and zonal leaders, Oluwaseun Oguntade and Mogaji Olatunde. The youth leaders emphasized that the suggestion in the release does not align with the aspirations of progressive youths nationwide.
In another perspective, the Conglomeration of APC Young Stakeholders Forum expressed their support for Dr. Nicholas Felix, a former presidential aspirant and deputy national youth coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. Comrade Ikechukwu Norbert, the leader of the forum, extolled Dr. Felix's attributes, citing his foreign endorsements and youth-focused ideas for job creation and empowerment.
On the other hand, the APC South West Young Stakeholders’ Forum advocated for a candidate from various states in the region to fill the vacant position. They pointed out the distribution of ministerial positions within the Federal Executive Council and suggested a list of candidates from Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, and Ondo to be considered. The competition for this influential position continues, reflecting the importance of youth engagement in Nigeria's political landscape.