As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, the national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has said years of failed leadership and flawed electoral processes have disconnected young Nigerians from active political participation.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY in Abuja, Abdullahi said the disappointment began in 2011 when youths rallied behind former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, after his famous remark, “I had no shoes.”
“The message gave young Nigerians hope that anyone could rise from grass to grace,” he said, “But their expectations were dashed when the outcome of that administration failed to deliver real change.”
The former minister said the youths again mobilised in 2014 behind Muhammadu Buhari, believing his ‘Baba mai gaskiya’ slogan would bring integrity to governance.
“Many of them were not born during his military rule but believed the stories of his discipline and honesty,” Abdullahi said, “Sadly, they were again disappointed when no real change was achieved.”
He said the failure of the Buhari administration to meet public expectations gave rise to the #EndSARS movement, which later grew into a broader protest against bad governance and claimed many young lives.
Abdullahi added that the 2023 general elections further deepened the youth’s loss of faith in the system, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to meet public expectations on transparency.
“The aftermath of that election disconnected the youth from national politics and pushed them back to ethnic and religious lines,” he said.
He lamented that many young Nigerians now see the country as their “third identity”, after ethnicity and religion, reflecting a loss of trust in the political class.
Still, Abdullahi maintained that parties like the ADC are working to rebuild that confidence.
“Until Nigerian youths see a government that truly listens and includes them, hope will remain a mirage,” he added.
