Oyo State governorship aspirant, Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem (AKK), has declared that the survival, unity, and electoral successes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are largely driven by the commitment and sacrifice of young party members across the country.
Speaking on Thursday January 22 at the 2026 Progressive Youth Ambassadors (PYA) South West Summit in Ikoyi, Lagos, Dr. Kareem said, “The APC survives, grows, and wins because of its youth army. You are not just foot soldiers; you are the engine room of our victories.”
Addressing party youths as Chairman of the summit themed “Strengthening Grassroots Participation in Advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Kareem noted that young people have remained central to the party’s journey since its historic formation in 2013.
“From door-to-door campaigns in rural villages to sensitive errands during high-stakes negotiations, young people have been indispensable,” he said. “You mobilised rallies, coordinated voter registration drives, drafted communiqués, and defended this party when it mattered most.”
He described the APC’s emergence from the merger of ACN, CPC, ANPP, and a faction of APGA as a political milestone, stressing that its endurance through internal contests and leadership transitions was sustained by youth energy and loyalty.
“We stayed together not because of power alone, but because of shared ideology,” Kareem said, paying tribute to party leaders including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and late President Muhammadu Buhari. “But today, the responsibility of sustaining this progressive legacy rests more on you.”
Highlighting the Renewed Hope administration, he said youths are already redefining governance. “Young technocrats are making waves in this government, proving that youth deserve time, opportunity, and space,” he stated, citing reforms in digital innovation, youth development, culture, and public service delivery.
Kareem challenged APC youths to deepen grassroots engagement ahead of 2027. “You must move from being campaign tools to becoming intellectual architects of the grassroots,” he urged. “Go into communities, listen, canvass with conviction, and preach the Renewed Hope gospel with facts, not slogans.”
Describing the South West as the “brain box” of progressive politics, he added, “This region birthed the APC. We must lead again, intellectually and at the grassroots.”
“The future is not tomorrow,” Kareem concluded. “It is today. History is calling your name. Rise, act, and let Nigeria soar.”
