NYCN urges youths to embrace Nigerian project, participate in CVR
By Adeyemi Adeleye
Lagos, Jan. 29, 2026 (NAN)The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has urged young Nigerians to remain optimistic about the Nigerian project and to participate actively in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The Chairman of the NYCN, Lagos State Chapter, Master Ibrahim Adigun, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
Adigun, who also serves as Chairman of the Forum of State Chairmen of the council across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, spoke on the sidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ meeting on the second phase of the CVR exercise in the state.
“Our advice to young people nationwide, including those in the diaspora who wish to return to vote, is that they should participate actively in the process.”
“INEC is doing everything possible within the limited resources at its disposal to ensure that people come into the voting basket.
“So we have to be optimistic about the Nigerian project and participate. It is when you participate that you can critique in totality about what government is going to do.
“Forget about rigging, forget about manipulation. When you vote, people cannot rig.
“It is when you don’t vote that you give opportunity to people who want to rig election and manipulate the process.
“So please, everybody should believe in the process and participate in the forthcoming elections and all other off-cycle elections that will take place across the country,” Adigun said.
According to him, the youth must not sleep or fold their hands “as Nigeria is only country they have to call our own.”
He said youth engagement during the first phase of CVR reflected deliberate mobilisation by the council.
According to him, young people dominated the registration turnout, describing the outcome as validation of sustained grassroots advocacy.
“It is a reflection of the efforts we put in during the first phase of the CVR. We deployed our youths as volunteers across political wards in Lagos.
“About 65 per cent of participants in the first phase were young people. It is a compliment to the aggressive work we carried out,” he said.
The NYCN chairman said the council would deepen collaboration with INEC to expand youth inclusion nationwide.
He added: “We now have a strong relationship with INEC and will amplify our energy. Our goal is to get more young people into the voting basket.
He urged Nigerian youths, including those in the diaspora, to take part in elections. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AYO/KOO
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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa
