By Kingsley Chukwuka
A non-governmental organization otherwise known as Equity International Initiative (EII), has charged youths to use their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), to vote for credible leaders in the 2023 general elections.
The EII Country Director, Mr. Chris Iyama said the campaign drive for youths to obtain their PVC is for them to take advantage of their population to effect the much-needed change in the country.
Iyama stated this Friday in Jos, in an interactive session with youths on the occasion of the International Youth Day.
In the conversation with youths boosted by CYPA Africa, Iyama told youths that their participation in governance will determine who occupies the political space in the coming elections.
With the theme: Young people and the 2023 elections; setting the agenda, the EII said the future of the country cannot be discussed without youths participation.
According to him: “Your PVC is not to open a bank account or to write JAMB, it is for you to have a voice and power to effect a change in the political space.
“The objective of holding this programme is to inform the youths of their relevance shaping governance, considering their population in the country.
“It is not enough to propel them to vote, but to also educate them not to vote along ethnic, tribal and religious divides but to vote for candidates with the right credentials”, Iyama said.
Speaking earlier, a guest speaker at the forum, a professor of International Law, faculty of Law University of Jos, Prof. Nnamdi Aduba said Nigerian youths owe an obligation of delivering the country from bad governance if only they eschew money bags politics in the coming elections.
Aduba, who believes that youths control over 50% of the voting population, said if put into use can change the narrative of governance in Nigeria.
“Youths have the key, they have the number and it is the number that matters in democracy. What they lack is simply commitment and the desire to make the number count.
“If you collect money and at the end of the day you sell your future what happens next? So nobody is going to deliver the youth apart from themselves. They owe themselves an obligation to save themselves. The old ones cannot save them”, Aduba said.