Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Northeast have appealed to Vice President Kashim Shettima and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to help secure the vacant position of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for their region.
The call was made on Monday by a delegation of the APC Youth Stakeholders Forum, led by its Executive Secretary, Abdulkareem Jimeta, during a visit to the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
The office became vacant after Nentawe Yilwatda, the former minister, emerged as the APC National Chairman.
Speaking at a press briefing, Jimeta urged Shettima and Ribadu to intervene and ensure that youths from the Northeast are fairly represented in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He specifically endorsed Haruna Sardauna for the role, citing his loyalty and longstanding support for Tinubu.
Jimeta pointed out that while Kano State alone has 27 youth appointees, the entire Northeast, covering six states Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, and Gombe has only eight. He accused other regions of enjoying better representation due to stronger lobbying efforts.
“The Northwest currently has about 71% of youth appointments in the North, North-Central has 21%, but the Northeast is left with only 8%,” he said.
He described Sardauna as a grassroots mobiliser and humanitarian who has served as Deputy National Chairman of the Tinubu Youth Ambassadors since 2016 and is now the Director-General of the Renewed Hope Youth Ambassadors.
According to Jimeta, appointing Sardauna would not only reward his loyalty but also strengthen the APC’s chances ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Forum also stressed that the Northeast, which has been devastated by Boko Haram insurgency, needs a representative who understands its humanitarian challenges, including the plight of displaced persons, widows, orphans, and people with disabilities.
They argued that Sardauna’s appointment would help address these issues and bring much-needed relief to affected communities.
