Politics
FG Recommits To Youth Dev …For Effective Political Participation
The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to building the capacity of youths for effective political participation.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung said this at the round table on politics with values and youth inclusion in decision making processes of political parties, organised by Westminster Foundation for Democracy on Thursday in Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Director on Rights and Leadership Division, Mr Aliyu Sule, the minister said the roundtable could not have come at better time when Nigeria through the enactment of the ‘Nor Too Young To Run Law’.
“You will agree with me that before the enactment of the Not Too Young to Run Law, young people are often excluded or overlooked as political candidates.
“Politics in Nigeria was regarded as an exclusive space for politically experienced men; while the youth are often disadvantaged and classified as not important in the policy making and implementation,” he said.
Dalung noted that that young people had been the catalysts of Nigerian democracy till date, but they still occupy less than 10 per cent of the nation’s political office and position of policy making.
He however, said the presence of young people in decision making positions benefits all citizens and not just youth.
Prof. Sola Adeyanju, the deputy chief operating officer, Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies said many of the youths are not economically buoyant enough to operate in politics.
“The practice of democracy and the adoption of the Presidential system of government come with their values; these must be adequately observed and promoted for fairness and participation.
“The youths should equip themselves with these values, if they want to guarantee their future and be more involved in political participation as a means of taking over and guaranteeing the political values in the society.
“This is the only way by which the political values can be realised and the youth can hope to effectively partake in decision making on issues concerning them,” he said.
Adeyanju said there was need to have change of attitude towards the essence of politics and youth involvement.
The Country Representative of WFD, Mr Adebowale Olorunmola said the roundtable was designed to form a network of young persons in politics with values to drive the course of participating in politics with right ideology and principles within the political party system.
He said the political systems in Nigeria overtime had become titled to serving mainly the interest of political and economic elites, while excluding the interest of majority of citizens.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WFD is a non-profit departmental public body sponsored by the Department for International Development (DfID), and Foreign and Commonwealth Office in UK.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.