Vote With Conscience, Forum Tells Northerners

The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) has advised Nigerian youths, particularly those in the north, to vote with their conscience in the 2027 general elections, citing insecurity and economic hardship nationwide.

The forum made the call in a communique it issued at the end of an expanded emergency meeting of its national executive and state chairmen held at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

The communique, signed by the forum’s national director of publicity, Bello Abdulhamid, said the meeting was convened to review the state of the nation and chart a course for youth participation in the 2027 elections.

The AYF said insecurity had worsened across the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions, as well as other parts of the country, resulting in the displacement of communities and loss of lives.

“Our economic life has been crippled, communities displaced and innocent lives lost. Farming, which is our pride, has become a death trap, and our schools are no longer safe. We cannot build a future in fear,” the forum stated.

On the economy, the youth body blamed the current administration’s economic reforms for what it described as high inflation, rising cost of living and mass unemployment.

The Forum also expressed concern over the state of electricity supply, saying power had become more expensive and less available despite promises, thereby affecting young people operating businesses such as barbing salons, welding shops, cold rooms and ICT hubs.

It further called for comprehensive reforms in the education sector and expressed concern about pressure on the healthcare system.

As part of its resolutions, the AYF urged youths not to allow themselves to be divided along tribal, religious or political party lines, stressing that bad governance, poverty and insecurity were common challenges.

It called on youths to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), reject vote-selling and protect their votes from polling units to collation centres.