Nigerian youths under the auspices of Youth Awake Now (YAN), will soon present a major demand charter to all the 2023 presidential candidates.
YAN Spokesperson, Mr Oweileam Pereotubo, made thisknon in Abuja, on Monday at a news conference and inauguration of YAN, to create awareness on the 2023 election.
He said that a memorandum of agreement would also be executed with all the presidential candidates before the general election.
”We have awaken for a new Nigeria. The 2023 general election will not be business as usual,” he said.
Pereotubo reading the communiqué issued at the end of the organisation’s six months dialogue described YAN as a platform for Nigerian youth to finally secure the future of the young ones from the decades of “promise and fail” by political leaders.
The leader of Niger Delta Youth said that YAN currently have representatives of the Arewa Youth Leader, Afenifere Youth Leader, Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Leader, National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) Leadership.
Others include National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Leadership, National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) Leadership, Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP) Leadership, and Delta Youth Leadership among various NGOs.
“YAN has brought together over 170million Youths in Nigeria under the auspices of all the apex youth organizations and youth leaders
“Also we have social media influencers of diverse ethnic, Political and religious backgrounds to foster open communication and ignite dialogue for accountability with all the presidential candidates of the upcoming 2023 general election on their plans for the youths.
“As we all know, the Nigerian Youth have been at the receiving end of policies made by leaders of past administrations and thus have been denied several opportunities to explore their youthful potential.
“Hence the need to thoroughly engage the manifesto’s of the presidential candidates for proper scrutiny and endorsement.”
Pereotubo said the youths of Nigeria have had enough and could not afford Nigeria to be called a failed state.
He said it was time for the youth to be serious as leaders have taken them for granted.
The former president of the Ijaw Youth Council, said that going forward, youth inclusiveness in leadership role in government was mandatary.
“The youths have come together to take their future in their hand and mouth to speak.
“We the youths make up about 80 per cent of the Nation’s population.
“We must use our numbers to unite with one voice and hold whoever that will win the election accountable to deliver on their manifesto, at least for the sake of the future of the younger ones.
“Our grandfathers are still leading us. As children we kept hearing that we are the leaders of tomorrow. This tomorrow that never comes. Is it when we die that we will lead? NO! We must yan (speak).”
Pereotubo expressed the youth commitment to work together to build a better Nigeria, amidst their various ethno-religious, political and cultural diversifies.
“With this communique, we commit ourselves to fostering intercultural dialogue and relations across all leaders regardless of party in Nigeria.
“We also call on every Nigerian youth to speak freely expressing their demands to their preferred candidate using the YAN platform as a common tool to drive socio economic growth and sustainability for a better future,” he said.
The Executive Chairman of YAN, Festus Uchenna, said that the formation of YAN was born out of passion for the future of Nigeria and not for any personal or sponsored interested.
Uchenna said the youth need to understand that they hold the power of voters to make anybody president or president, as well deny anybody from becoming such, hence demand engagement with those seeking to lead them.
He said that every four years, Nigeria political leaders come out to campaign with many promises, but not discussing with the youth or carry them along.
“We are all here to unite, to ask for our rights from whoever that want to be president of Nigeria to tell us the programmes you have for the youth.
“If you say you want to give us power, tell us how you want to achieve it. Not I will give you free electricity in four years. How would you achieve this? Discuss with the youth.
“We need a leader that will take to us to 21 century trillion dollars economy. A leader that will driver us through technological economy. We don’t need the same stories every time.
“That’s why we have come out together. We are preparing a charter of demand that we can give to whoever that will agree to our own terms because we have the power,” Uchenna said.
The Keynote Speaker, Dr Abia Victor, urged the youth to get involved in the 2024 general elections like never before in 2023 general elections in electing leaders that would stir the affairs of Nigeria to greatness.
Victor said that Nigeria is expressing social, political and economy disequilibrium and a new level of social, economy equilibrium is achievable if the youths are involved.
He said that Nigeria was pregnant with so much potential for developments not just for the country but the Africa continent.
The YAN Organising Secretary/Operations, Mr Eric Oluwole also urged Nigerian youth to take the message of the organisation to the grassroots.(NAN)
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