WFD’s Initiative Chart Course For Youth Development, Leadership
L-R:Olufemi Somotun, political Communication Consultant and Hon. Kabir Ibrahim Tukura, Kebbi house of representative member at the Inclusive and Accountability Politics (IAP) Politics with Values Campaign Award held in Abuja recently.
Young people in Nigeria have been tasked to venture into politics and take leadership positions as a way of contributing their own quota to the development of the country. The call was made at the Inclusive and Accountability Politics (IAP) Politics with Values Campaign Award organised by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Abuja recently.
Some notable young Nigerians were also honoured at the event for their contributions to nation building.
Kabir Tukura, Chairman, Young Parliamentarians Forum, National Assembly and a house of representative member from Kebbi State, said they would do everything humanly possible within their powers to ensure young people have increased access to political offices.
Tukura added that the National Assembly had been partnering with WFD to achieve a lot in terms of equipping youths to run for offices and it had led to tremendous impact in their lives.
He commended WFD for the politics with values initiative adding that this was just the starting point.
`”We are here to honour outstanding performances and achievement, it is a very good platform for us to call ourselves to do more; so I urge all you volunteers not to see this as a reward ,but as a call for more.
“We expect that by 2023 you are all members of major political parties in the country; I don’t want it to stop there.
“What we want is to first see you aspiring for offices, the WFD wishes to see more young people participate in the electoral process.”
Tukura said that recently a first care review was conducted in coloration with WFD to see the impact that young legislatures were making in the 9th assembly.
He said that “ I make bold to tell you that in terms of motions ,quality representation ,close contact with constituents , members that are within the WFD (youths) bracket stand out and are doing the best better than those in the older group of people.”
Mr Babajide Obanikoro representing Eti-Osa , Federal Constituency Lagos said that youths interest in politics was commendable and encouraged youths to join political parties.
According to Obanikoro , a lot of youths have the idea of wanting to start their own party to run for offices but it usually is a step in the wrong direction because due to lake of finance and the structure to deliver an election.
“So I encourage all youths to either join the ruling party or the opposition party and fill them up that way they will win elections.
“Trying to float a new party is not going to help us let us concentrate our numbers in these two major parties and let’s slug it out among ourselves and we will see a difference in youth participation in governance.
Country Director WFD, Nigeria, Adebowale Olorunmola, said that the event was to officially bring to a close the Inclusive and Accountable Politics (IAP) program which the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom funded.
Olorunmola said that the IAP was implemented from two angles, one was the angle of inclusivity, promoting the inclusion of women, youths and persons with disabilities in political participation and also to advance transparency in Nigeria.
“We have been working to promote open government partnership, with inclusivity we have been promoting politics with value.
“What this means is that as we continue to advocate for increased participation of young persons, we don’t just want their participation for participation sake we want them to change the cause of politics in Nigeria.”