The National Coordinator, Project 37 for Tinubu-Shettima 2023, Mark Nsimbehe, has dismissed expression of support for presidential candidates on social media, stating that youths in Nigeria will vote for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Nsimbehe, in a veiled reference to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, challenged Nigerian youths to embrace issue-based politics.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, July 17, 2022 on the sideline of a solidarity meeting with a non-governmental organisation, Group of People with Voter Cards, Nsimbehe also faulted the criticisms against Tinubu’s choice of another Muslim, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate.
When asked about the massive campaign for presidential candidates by the youths on social media, Nsimbehe said, “Which of the youths? Am I not a youth? I am also a youth. So, which of the youths? This is Nigeria. Let us forget about all these cyber apps. Politics is more than going to Facebook or social media. We have passed that level.
“Let us discuss issue-based politics; it is not social media politics. I am a youth. I am a Nigerian. I am not a foreigner. I know what is going on here and I know very well that Nigerians are going to vote for Asiwaju, Nigerians are going to stand with Asiwaju and Nigerians are going to support him till the end during the 2023 elections.”
While stressing the need to sensitise eligible Nigerians to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission and get their Permanent Voter Cards, he urged the electorate to come out for the 2023 general elections and “vote for somebody that has competence; somebody that we feel at the end of it all would take this country to a higher level.”
Nsimbehe, however, pointed out that the project was not sponsored by Tinubu or the APC. “It is sponsored by people that love this country, by lovers of the APC and lovers of Asiwaju,” he stated.
He partly said, “The idea behind this project is for us to come together and focus on a direction to the grassroots because politics now is rural based politics. And what we intend to do is to go to the grass roots to sensitise the people of Nigeria to see how they can support and vote for a competent person, Senator Bola Tinubu, as the next president of this country; because he is a competent man; he is a man of wisdom; he is the only man that can take us from where we are to a better place.
“This current administration has done so well but we need somebody that would be able to continue in the good work of this administration, because government is continuity. He is the only person that would be able to sustain the legacy of this government.”
Nsimbehe urged Nigerians to be “looking at the competency and not Muslim-Muslim ticket.” He said, “I am a Christian. What I am looking for now is the competency of somebody that would rule this country, not the issue of religion. We have gone beyond this kind of argument. It is not even an argument.”
He added, “I want to urge all Nigerians to look at the competency of this man, his wisdom, his capacity and vote for him. A lot of people are actually talking about Shettima. Let us rather look at how these two people are coming, how they will be able to serve us. We should be praying for them. We should pray for their good health and for God to give them the wisdom to pilot the affairs of this country.”
The Founder, Group of People with Voter Cards, Isah Zarewa, noted that the group had been sensitising voters for 10 years. “With a PVC in your hand, you can vote for anybody you like that you think is competent. But if you do not, you cannot do anything,” he stated.
