The Nigerian Youth Congress, NYC, has sensitised Nigerian youths on the importance of a violence free election in the forth coming 2023 general election in the country.
The sensitisation message was delivered at the 2022 Democracy Lecture with the theme: Election and Governance: Youth as Watchmen against Electoral Violence.
The programme was held at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The Special Senior Assistant to the President on Youth and Students’ Affairs, Dr. Nasir Adhama, in his address stated that youths make up the bulk of the country’s population and as such, “there can not be any election in the country without the involvement of the youths”.
According to him, it is the youths that the politicians are targeting to win election.
He added that, “we need to be gate keepers of this democracy, we need to be watchmen of this election because at the end of the day,whatever outcome we have out of this election, we are going to be at the receiving end”.
He therefore cautioned them against all forms of electoral malpractices or violence.
The president of Nigeria Youth Congress, Blessing Akinlosotu in his address stated that experience has shown that Nigeria under the democratic regime needs series of dialogue and sensitisation.
He stated that , “Historically, Nigerian Democratic System is the one characterized with diverse challenges and in the recent time confronted mainly with ethnic diversity which in turns breed insecurity in our society and consequently hampers our valued democracy and makes the govenance of the country to grow worse”.
According to him, unrest in the country has distracted the power players to an extent that good governance is nearly becoming impossible in all strata of government.
He further stated that the to take steps needed for the ” reform of our dear country Nigeria necessitated the ideas to organise ourselves as young Nigerians, in a manner that will hold in view the mending of our impaired democratic system which has long since, thrown us to insecurity as a result of lack in the mutual ineligibility informed by the ethno insensibility“.
Also speaking, the Secretary General of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Dr. Raymond Edoh stated that Nigeria is the largest economy and the most notable democracy but conflict threatens the progress of the nation.
He said, ” it is high time to tell ourselves the truth that we are problem of Nigeria and only we can change this country.
This country belongs to us, no body will take this country away from us and it is high time for us to come together and fix this country ourselves”, he added.
Speaking further, he said for youths to become watchmen against electoral violence, they must know the right individuals to vote into political positions in the country.
He advised the youths not to engage in any forms of electoral violence in the forth coming 2023 generation election in the country as “this will drive the nation to a collapsing end and we will not allow this to happen because we are the future leaders of Nigeria, today and forever.
He finally urged youths of the country to get involved in the entire political process.
The event is organised with the sole aim of engaging Youth across the country, professionals to brainstorm and exhaustively use a disussable topics on the need for evolving strategies to the increasing need for the sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria.
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