Young Nigerians under the aegis of Youth Engagement and Inclusion Agenda have demanded that each candidate that would be vying to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, must reserve the Vice Presidential seat for the youths.
Gatekeepers News reports that the group on Monday also asked that the State governorship candidates across the country should also tow the same line and zone the Deputy Governorship seats to the youths to inculcate the need for nation-building in the next generation of leaders.
The demands were made after several minutes of deliberations on the state of the nation and the fate of the youths after the next general elections across the country.
The group said that the idea was to prevent a leadership vacuum that may arise when the crops of leaders across the country retire from active politics and the need to proffer solutions to the country’s challenges emanates.
According to them, reserving these seats for the youths remain the best system to teach the youths how to get involved, and start learning the ropes from the leaders that have garnered experience over the years.
The Convener of the group, Idris Aregbe, at a press conference after their inaugural meeting in Ikeja, described their requests as not too difficult to be approved by any of the presidential candidates.
Aregbe noted that they were not particular about any party but what they were after was basically to ensure that a young Nigerian occupy the seat as well as become the country’s number two citizen.
The convener stressed that the youths were very influential and that their number could swing the vote in the right direction that would favour all.
“We believe so much in ourselves as youths and the number that we have which is also our strength and that is why we have decided to come together as well as speak with one voice.
“This is a group of people that understand what politics is all about and we will definitely work to ensure that we get it right. This is a youth agenda that will ensure inclusion for the youth. We are ready to ensure that the youths get their desired position in government come 2023.
“We are one Nigeria and the only thing that separates Nigerians is either you are youth or the elderly. We are willing to ensure that the youths become part of governance in 2023”, he added.
Other members of the group, Japheth Odesanya, said that their desire was to ensure that beginning from 2023, the country is governed by anyone that is ready to build the youth and make key stakeholders in the government.
“We will use all our energy, as youths, to galvanise and mobilise young Nigerians to see this through because the time has come for the youths to start manning key leadership positions across the country”, Odesanya added
