By Akombo Aondona, Abuja
National Youth Leader, All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Dayo Israel, has told political leaders not to make political thugs out of Nigerian youths, warning them to rather engage the youth positively in the electoral process, especially as activities towards the 2023 General Elections hit top gear.
Israel spoke on Tuesday, 24th May,2022 at press conference of a high-level working group on youth inclusion in the 2023 elections set up by the office of the National Youth Leader of the APC held at the APC National Secretariat Conference Hall, Abuja.
The youth leader charged young APC stalwarts who are in senior government positions to use their influence and experience to engage policy makers and power brokers, including states governors, to ensure increased participation of young people in the electoral process.
Israel said: “You will recall my speech at the Aso Villa before the First Lady, governors and other party leaders that youth of our party will not be used to snatch ballot boxes and perpetuate electoral violence in these elections. Rather, we are going to engage, sit at the table and play critical roles in this electoral process.
” We are going to produce members of the House of Representatives, senators, deputy governors and speakers of parliaments. By the grace of God the next administration of APC will be totally youth friendly. Our advocacy is to have 50% of the coming administration in appointment in the cabinet for young men and women.
Responding, one of the co-chair of the group, and Director-General, Nigeria Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo, said he was happy with the APC national youth leader’s initiative, especially with the caliber of people he had assemble as a team to ensure that young aspirants are influential in the coming elections.
Salihijo said: “The fact that he has been able to secure 50% discount for all young people aspiring to positions in 2023 elections is an incredible achievement since we were constituted on 1 May 2022.
“We have been able to engage a few governors. We have engaged the governors of Lagos, Ogun, Kogi, Ekiti states and we’ve gotten very firm commitments from these governors. Already they have shown a lot of encouragement because if you look through their cabinets, you will find that a lot of the people they are currently bringing into their cabinets are young people.”
Other members of the team who spoke with journalists called for synergy with the media to sensitise the youth of the country in general on how to move forward the electoral process of the country.
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