Politicians Cautioned Against Treating Nigerian Youths As Visitors In Politics Process

Political class and stakeholders has been cautioned against treating Nigerian youths as visitors in the nation’s political process. This is just as the National Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Hon. Francis Shoga, has expressed the determination of the movement to grow its genuine membership based to 10 million nationwide to support President Bola Tinubu re-election bid ahead of 2027 polls.

The Special Adviser to Ekiti State Governor on Research and Documentation, Dr Femi Owolabi, who gave the warning called for greater involvement and participation of young people in Nigeria politics.

The duo spoke during CBM Townhall Meeting, Street Engagement and State Inauguration in held in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital themed: “Leaving no one behind”.

Owolabi while delivering the keynote address, titled “Leaving No One Behind”said Nigerians youths should not be treated as visitors in the political process, stressing that while voting remained important, active participation was equally significant.

“Leaving no one behind is not only about young people. That would itself become another form of exclusion. Needs of the people differ Inclusion cannot mean giving everybody exactly the same thing.That, to me, is what leaving no one behind means. It should mean that when the feast arrives, we ask who has not eaten. And when we say ‘we’, we should be certain that we actually mean we,” he said.

He urged young people to take ownership of their priorities and ensure that their communities were carried along in the political process.

Speaking further on CBM moves ahead 2027 elections, Hon. Shoga stated that the youth political support group was establishing structures across the country to create greater opportunities for young Nigerians to participate actively in politics and governance. While describing members of the movement as participants in a historic effort to create a platform for young Nigerians to become active stakeholders in the political process, he urged the new executives to transform the structures already established by the movement into concrete grassroots activities. “We are setting up structures everywhere. We must be involved, we must inspire, and that’s how power comes to young people.

“I charge you to move from structure to action, from meeting to the field. The grassroots is our next frontier. We must go everywhere. We must communicate government policies and programmes clearly.

“Our objective is 10 million members. Our focus must be genuine. We need to know who our members are. Grow genuine members, measure our results. Let’s make Ekiti a reference point. Let’s go to the grassroots, let’s mobilise, participate, protect the mandate of Tinubu”.

The CBN Coordinator in Ekiti state, Asiwaju Oluwafemi Kasali, who noted that the group’s strategy for voters mobilisation goes beyond traditional party structures disclosed that a strategy aimed at reaching the 2,445 polling units in the State, with two canvassers for each polling unit had already been developed.

He explained that the broader approach was designed to reach undecided voters, newly registered eligible voters who had turned 18 to vote, as well as people who traditionally show limited interest in elections rather than mobilising only members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The movement has its structures across the 16 local government areas with 354 coordinators, setting target of having 200,000 registered members by October 30, 2026, 1000 members in each of the 177 wards in the state”.

Advising the executives, “Inauguration comes with responsibility. The offices being assumed today are not merely positions; they are responsibility and trust to an individual to serve, organise, listen and contribute to the growth of the movement,” he added.

Others who spoke on the need to embark on aggressive mobilisation of the youths for Tinubu re-election include, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, Sunday Asefon, the Ekiti State APC Chairman, Barrister Sola Elesin, the South-West Director-General of the movement, Hon. Olajuwon Alao- Akala, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, the Commissioner for Information, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun. Also at the event is the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, represented by Princess Adeboye Akinboye, Director-General Bureau of Community Communications , Hon. Mary Oso among others. END