By Nathaniel Zaccheaus
The National Assembly on Monday tasked the Nigerian Youths to compete for power instead of clamouring for it as the 2023 general elections, draw closer.
The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development, Hon Adeyemi Adaramodu gave the admonition in Abuja.
He spoke on behalf of the federal Parliament at a policy dialogue on the Not – too – young – run Act and manifestos of political parties organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
He noted that the Not – too – Young – to – Run Act, will only remain a law on paper if not activated by the youths themselves.
He said, “The Youth should not expect elders in the position of authority today to teach them how to unseat them or relinquish power to them voluntarily.
” They need to get involved in community development at the grassroots and use their population to change the narrative in the political space, ” he said.
Adaramodu gave an example of himself becoming an elected local government Chairman in Ondo State in the 1980s at the age of 29 without parental influence or resources.
The poverty of integrity he added, remains a problem the youth need to get over and not that of the pocket.
He said, “If the space is not given to the youth within the folds of the two major political parties, they should as required strategy, move en-masse into any of the smaller political parties for the actualization of their aspirations.”
Also speaking at the event, the country representative of Westminster Foundation for Democracy ( WFD), Adebowale Olorunmola said Youth Participation and inclusion in democratic governance is very necessary for Nigeria as a way of improving her not too good records in that respect.
According to him, the global index on Youth and Women participation in governance in Nigeria is very poor as it ranks 128 out of 153 countries sampled in the world and 27 out of 53 countries sampled in Africa.
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Earlier NILDS, as the organiser of the programme, raised a series of posers on way out of inhibition of youth from the political process in Nigeria.
Some of the posers raised are ” What factors are responsible for the poor participation of youth in the political process?
” To what extent do the structure, programmes and manifestoes of political parties support youth engagement and participation?
” Is the enactment of the ” Not – Too – Young – to – Run Act 2018, sufficient to boost youth participation and representation in the political process? “
