At a press conference on Friday in Yola, the state capital, the group described Governor Fintiri's commissioner nominees as non-representative as youths were excluded.
A socio-political group, Pitapwa, has rejected the list of nominated commissioners expected to form the cabinet of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State.
At a press conference on Friday in Yola, the state capital, the group described Governor Fintiri's commissioner nominees as non-representative as youths were excluded.
Governor Fintiri, had while addressing supporters after his reelection, promised to form a cabinet of 80 per cent young people.
Therefore, the youth group faulted the 23-man list of nominated commissioners, saying old people, including retired Permanent Secretaries dominated the cabinet.
On June 15, 2023, SaharaReporters reported that some women and youths protested against the inclusion of retired Permanent Secretaries, among other octogenarians nominated into the cabinet of the Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
The youths also decried the exclusion of young people from the list forwarded to the governor for consideration.
Protesting on Friday, spokesperson for the group, Pitapwa Vokito said reneging on the promise to build a “majority youths cabinet” is a betrayal of confidence, which calls to question, the governor's integrity.
He said, "We will however not hesitate to state unequivocally that some of the Governor's take offs are not commendable particularly the recent list of commissioner-nominees submitted to the Adamawa State House of Assembly for screening and subsequent approval.
"It is worthy of note that the desire of all well-meaning Adamawa youths is the progress and prosperity of our dear state and the country at large.
"But this cannot happen except with the government's deliberate and conscious involvement of the youths in policy making and policy execution. With over 60 per cent of its population being youths, Adamawa State is among states with the youngest population in the Nigeria. In 20 years from now, the youth population will rise by 20 per cent.
“This demography, when spiced with the right responsibilities for long enough, will be a huge advantage for not only the state but the country at large.
"But it is quite unfortunate that we are seeing the deliberate exclusion of the youths by Fintiri who got into power by the sole mandate of the youths. It is of outmost importance we remind Fintiri that the youths of Adamawa State will forever be the backbone of this state. Their physical and intellectual energies matter to the growth and development of this state.
"The failure of the state governor to keep his part amount to bridge of contract which may not go down well with his Person if he's known for not keeping up to his promises. Those who cannot honor their words do not qualify for leadership.
"We dare to say, if we the youths can be instrumental to political victories, we sure can hold political offices and change the narrative of the state for the better."
Responding, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Humwashi Wonosikou, said "They're not being fair to the governor, because two commissioner nominees from their own catchment alone are young people."