The chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform and a Board member of Yiaga Africa, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, has called for the urgent repositioning of youth organisations in the country to achieve increased youth participation in the nation’s political processes.
Nwagwu who stated this at a youth political participation in Lagos State to unveil its research report, stressed the need for youth organisations to become theatres of participation rather than being theatres of transactions that is obtainable presently.
He also blamed the declining rate of youth participation in politics on godfatherism, elite closure and adultism.
He however, urged the government to create more platforms for youth engagement while also calling on Civil Society Organisations (CSO) to expand their spaces for engagement for political education.
He tasked youths to make themselves relevant by taking responsibilities and making commitments to a course they believe in, instead of following some politicians aimlessly looking for leftovers, saying, “There are godfathers whose interests are for the betterment of the masses. Such godfathers are not selfish, and worth following,” he advised.
Also speaking, the APC Youth leader, Lagos State, Seriki Muritala, charged the youth to follow political gladiators with clean track records for mentorship and stop demanding mundane peanuts from politicians who meant no good to them.
Muritala encouraged them to be politically informed else politicians would treat them as blind ambitious youth.
“The youth must get informed and follow people with credible reports,” he charged.
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