Nigerian youths to endorse presidential candidate on International Youth Day

By Diana Omueza

The Nigeria Youth Organisation (NYO), a coalition of Nigerian youth groups, in collaboration with the Green Assembly Initiative, says it would endorse a presidential candidate for the 2023 General Elections on International Youth Day.

Mr Duke Alamboye, Convener of Green Assembly Initiative and representative of NYO said this at a New Conference in Abuja.

The International Youth Day, is celebrated annually on August 8.

Alamboye said that the presidential candidate would be endorsed based on his antecedent in his area of specialization, other achievements and also based on his blueprint for Nigerians, especially with emphasis on youth development.

He also said that after consideration and deliberation, the endorsed candidate would get the full collective support of the youth to contest and win the election.

“As drivers of change, the green assembly is setting up a committee to visit, interview and interrogate the intentions of the various political candidates towards the youth constituency.

“Monetary inducements would no longer determine the outcome of elections but candidates across board that have well articulated capacity, development initiative and projects for young Nigerians.

“We will leverage on the passion and undeniable youth revolution to engage the converse with youths across the country to marry the myriads of challenges Nigerians are facing and critically assess the manifestos and visions of the candidates

“They will probe the plans each candidate has for the education sector, employment plans, security, agriculture, healthcare among other important sectors.

“We want to ensure that we get it right and prove that we are the drivers of change,” he said.

He said that the endorsement come international youth day, is to ensure that the youths have a concentrated voted and that the votes were not decentralized.

He said that the group had distanced itself from political parties and all its activities including the conduct of parties primary elections in order to maintain neutrality towards the endorsement of its candidate.

“Come 2023, we don’t want the votes of the youths to be decentralized and that is why we distanced ourselves from the political parties during their primaries.

“Now that they all have candidates, we want to come in and probe their intentions without fear, doubt or any form of bias.

“We also observed that the concluded party primaries gave young aspirants for the first time in a long time in the political history a level playing field and evidently recorded about 47 per cent increase in youth emerging as candidates.

“And we are hopeful that most if them will eventually sail through in their various political offices,” he said.

He called on other reputable youth organizations to join the noble course that would guarantee that the next administration of government births the desired growth and development that Nigerians were clamouring for.

He reiterate that the group would continue to exert its energy to galvanize reputable youth organisation across the country to deepen social and political participation.

Ms Joy Asionye, NYO Media Director, said that the group does not endorse the religious sentiment attached to the presidential and vice-presidential tickets.

“As youths our concerns are beyond the Muslim to Muslim ticket or Christian to Christian ticket dichotomy.

“Our focus is on who will deliver when elected as president,” she said.

Mr Dauseighe Bowei, the groups South-South Zonal Secretary, cautioned the youths against being used as tools to incite violence before, during and after 2023 general elections.

“We all know that politicians have a way of using the youths during political season to incite violence, disrupt and cause destruction, however we must advise ourselves not to be used this time,” he said.

Mrs Mary Chukwu, a member of the group, urge the youths to remain resolute in voting for the most capable and suitable presidential candidate and not be induced or coerced into selling their votes.

She urged politicians to consider the dynamic structure of the country in the quest for personal gains and in the pursuit of their goals.

“2023 is not a time for war, but progress, so we discourage the older generation politicians from inciting the youths through monetary materials into all kinds of criminal activities that could either make or mar 2023 electoral process.

“The most critical thing right now is to develop Nigeria, so let those without the capacity to develop Nigeria step back, while those with capacity step forward,” she said.