By Grant Onyeke
Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has urged the youth in Nigeria to break the persistent trend of political self-marginalisation and commit to voting for their fellow youths in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
The party made the call in a statement issued by its National Youth Leader, Ozu Important, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Addressing the core paradox of Nigerian demographics and governance, Important highlighted the data from the recent Voters Preference Survey (VPS) unveiled recently by Invictus Africa in Abuja.
He quoted the data as revealing that only 32.3 per cent of Nigerian youths said they would vote for fellow youths in an election.
“This statistic explains why, despite being over 60 per cent of our population, young people remain grossly under-represented in government at the federal, state and local levels.
“We cannot continue to complain about policies that do not represent us while refusing to vote for ourselves,” he stated.
The youth leader noted that Nigeria’s daunting challenges, including widespread unemployment, insecurity, failing healthcare and digital exclusion, demanded fresh ideas and bold leadership.
According to him, young leaders bring vital traits to governance; innovation to drive the digital economy, accountability to serve transparently with the future at stake and genuine representation to ensure policies reflect young realities.
Important urged them to support credible, competent and youthful candidates, where age is backed by capacity and character.
He also advised youths to reject vote selling, refuse to trade their future for a few thousand naira and participate by joining political parties, running for office and holding leaders accountable.
The national youth leader cited the fielding of those he described as vibrant candidates by PRP, including Dr Rasaq Saliu (Orisunlagba), the candidate for the upcoming Osun governorship election, to prove that the time to redeem the nation was now.
“On this International Youth Day, let us move from hashtags to ballots, from complaints to candidates, from spectators to stakeholders.
“The future we want will not be handed to us. We must vote for it, build it and lead it,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
GEO/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq