INEC Should Emulate Youths – NYCN

The new leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has urged INEC to take a cue from the youth, who held successful elections in Abuja.

The newly elected President of NYCN, Comrade Olawale Ajani told newsmen in Abuja that INEC should take a cue from the youth who had demonstrated that democracy could thrive in the country if the electoral body heard the voice of the electorate.

Ajani said the youth had showed that they could be “part of the Nigerian project’’ and that they were ready to take the leadership role in Nigeria.

He said the new EXCO was set to do the bidding of the Nigerian youths and would consult from all parts of the country adding; “and whatever we come up with, is what we are going to implement’’.

He said that Saturday’s elections were symbolic and a true representation of the Nigerian youths which indicated that the 2011 elections could be successful and could “even be free and fairer than the 2003 elections”.

Ajani said he was extending his hand of friendship to other contestants because with different ideologies, the Nigerian youth could develop and move to greater heights.

He described the notion by some politicians that Nigerian youths did not have the capacity to rule the country as “a fallacy, and we will prove that in the next few months that we can lead’’.

Our correspondent reports that Saleh Alhassan, an engineer, said they were set to be “architects of the developmental programmes in Nigeria and not just participants”.

Alhassan gave an assurance that the youth, represented by the NYCN, would give President Goodluck Jonathan all the support needed to deliver democratic dividends to Nigerians and also ensure that the unity in the country was sustained.

“I will run an ICT based Secretariat where the Youth Council will be brought up to international standards where best practices in terms of youth development are put in place.

“I believe in the spirit of national unity, we should re-engage all stakeholders to move the youth circle forward,’’ Alhassan said.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) had on Saturday in Abuja elected a new set of leaders, with Ajani emerging as the new president of the council.

In the polls, which were a re-run of the council’s 2008 elections that were cancelled, Ajani polled 150 votes to beat nine other contestants with Balarabe Rufa’i the closest with 112 votes.