The Forgotten PR Warriors: A Wake-Up Call to the APC Reward System..

The Forgotten PR Warriors: A Wake-Up Call to the APC Reward System.

Since 2015, a wave of passionate, energetic, and patriotic Nigerian youths has stood at the forefront of digital political engagement not with millions, not with positions, but with phones, data, and brains. These young Nigerians have worked tirelessly behind the scenes and in plain sight, defending the All Progressives Congress (APC) across social media, WhatsApp groups, street corners, and town halls. They’ve created hashtags, countered propaganda, built narratives, engaged influencers, and carried the image of the party even when the odds were against it.

But nine years later, an uncomfortable question demands an honest answer:

Have they been rewarded?

Let’s Call a Spade a Spade.

The truth is bitter, but it must be said the reward system is almost non-existent, and that’s why the youths are angry. Forget the online noise of a few who still make posts praising leaders many of those are simply playing safe or eye-serving for personal gain. Deep down, there’s frustration, resentment, and disappointment.

Politics, by its nature, involves interests. Everyone who joins has a motive and there is nothing wrong with that. Some want roads constructed in their communities, others hope for jobs, some yearn for start-up capital to kickstart their dreams, and many just want to be recognized and respected for their efforts.

So we ask again:

How many of them have received appointments?

How many have been empowered?

How many have been invited to the table they helped to set?

How many of their voices are heard in decision-making corridors?

The answers are painfully few especially for the APC Youths of Funakaye Local Government.

It is heartbreaking because the youths here have been the engine room of the APC’s digital and grassroots campaigns. During elections, they abandoned sleep, personal comfort, and even their small businesses just to mobilize, defend, and promote the party.

From community sensitization to online fire-fighting, these young people stood firm. They made personal sacrifices, believing that their loyalty would one day translate into opportunities. But sadly, their expectations have been met with silence, neglect, and abandonment.

Today, many of these committed youths are jobless, struggling to survive, and feel used and dumped. They are not asking for the impossible they’re asking for fairness, inclusion, and empowerment.

Digital Foot Soldiers or Disposable Tools?

It is ironic. The same youths who shaped narratives during elections are suddenly irrelevant after victory. Branded as "just social media boys" or “noisemakers,” they’ve been tossed aside in favor of political loyalists with little or no grassroots contribution.

Some were mocked by friends for their loyalty. Others burned bridges with family and community members to stand with the APC. Many endured online insults, character assassination, and digital threats all in defense of a party they believed in.

Today, they are asking: Was it worth it?

A System That Fails Its Own

The APC must realize that a system that fails to reward loyalty and sacrifice will not survive the next storm. The opposition is watching. The electorate is restless. And these passionate youths who once gave their all may soon become indifferent or, worse, defect to where their efforts will be appreciated.

The days of blind loyalty are over. Recognition, empowerment, and opportunity are not luxuries they are necessities.

This is not a call for handouts. This is a call for structured reward systems, clear youth inclusion policies, and intentional empowerment plans for those who have shown unwavering dedication to the party’s progress especially in places like Funakaye Local Government, where the passion has never been in short supply, only the reward.

Do the Needful — Before It’s Too Late

The signs are clear. Youths are organizing differently. They are questioning everything. They are demanding accountability. And if nothing changes, the ballot box will bear their anger in 2027.

Leadership must rise above lip service and act decisively. Reward those who’ve earned it. Include those who built the movement. Empower those who carried your vision when it wasn’t fashionable to do so.

Because a time is fast approaching when praise-singing won’t save the day — performance and fairness will.

Let’s fix it now. Before regret becomes the only response.