Mr. Abdulmumin Abiola, the youngest son of the
presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Bashorun MKO Abiola,
on Wednesday said he would contest for the office of National Youth Leader of All
Progressives Congress (APC) next Saturday.
Abdulmumin, the last child of the June 12 martyr, Alhaja
Kudirat Abiola, equally dissociated his aspiration from the recent decision of
the federal government to declare June 12 Democracy Day and accord his father
with the highest national honour.
He declared his intention at a session with select
journalists in Lagos yesterday, noting that he joined the race with a plan to
revive the youth wing of the APC.
The ruling party will hold its national convention
next Saturday amid controversies over the unity list, which may pitch the APC
governors against the National Working Committee (NWC) if the consensus list is
eventually thrown out.
Amid the controversies, Abdulmumin declared
interest in the APC national youth leadership position, ascribing it to his
belief in the APC and that he had requirements “to give the youths the much
needed direction to move Nigeria forward.
“Since I returned to Nigeria in 2007, I have been
thinking about how to contribute to Nigeria’s political system. I have been
thinking of how I can make a difference in the country’s political space. The
next convention presents good opportunity.”
He explained that he had always been working hard
“to bridge the gap between the youths and the political leadership. I have been
working to enable the Nigerian youths contribute their quota to the development
of Nigeria.”
By implication, he noted that he did not join the
race for the office of the APC National Youth leader due to the recent
recognition of his father’s mandate and the posthumous national honour
conferred on the hero of democracy.
Rather, according to him, it is a decision born out
of passion for public service and exigency of providing clear direction for the
teeming population of Nigerian youths. I want to make my own mark. And I have
consulted widely on this aspiration.
He equally commended President Buhari signing the
Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill into law recently, though noted that Buhari’s
decision to sign the bill was long overdue.
He added that the vibrant youths of the country
would take advantage of the law to further ensure their participation in the
political landscape of the country.
The Abiola son noted that he ventured into politics
without any godfather or support from the presidency, claiming that God “is my
political father. I have no godfather.”
He noted that his late father gives him much
inspiration, though claimed that beneficiaries of his father’s kindness could
rally round and extend hands of fellowship to him.
Abdulmumin holds first degree in Business
Administration/ Accounting from prestigious Washington & Jefferson College,
a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United
States, which is 48 kilometres south of Pittsburgh.
After completing his programme in 2007, he returned
to Nigeria. He joined Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and rose
to become Head of Logistics, NNPC Mega Station.
He was appointed the Youth Coordinator of Kudirat
Initiative for Democracy (KIND), a non-governmental organisation founded in
memory of his mother, who was shot death on June 9, 1994, at the peak of the
June 12 struggle.
As the KIND Youth Coordinator, Abdulmumin’s core responsibilities revolve
around monitoring and targeting youth in rural area; organizing interactive
workshops between KIND and female participants; promoting KIND programs to
multi nationals as well as interacting with donor and presenting ideas toward
future strategic planning
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