2023: INEC Charges North-East Youths On Participation
By Vasty Bala Jonah
The Independent National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba states Dr. Baba Bila, has charged youths to take advantage of their numerical strength and participate fully in the electoral process and never allow desperate politicians to use them to cause violence during the upcoming election.
The charge was given over the weekend during a one-day engagement with identified Youth-groups across the North-East states on the roles of youth ahead of the 2023 general election at Crepe Event Centre Gombe.
Bila, was represented by Gombe Resident Electoral Commissioner Umar Ibrahim, said young people can change the cause of election in Nigeria as they have the number and potential.
While calling on them not to be tools for political violence, the national commissioner enjoined the youth to engage the political class on their planned programme for young people, use the media to raise awareness on the importance of youth involvement in politics and they should educate themselves on electoral rights and responsibilities.
The National Commissioner urged the Youth-based organisations to sensitise them on the need for peaceful and informed participation in elections and to shun vote selling and violence.
In his paper presentation titled 2023, menace of vote trading: youth as vanguard for impact changed, Dr. Umar Adamu, from Gombe state university said despite the numerical strength of youths in Nigeria, money politics has hindered them from participating fully in electoral processes calling on INEC to put an eye on the activities of political parties and disqualified any one found guilty of spending money beyond its limits.
Adamu urged the youth to organise themselves and form a political party, source for internal and external assistance and make the cost of forms affordable based on the strength of the youth, while calling on the media and civil society organisations to intensify campaigns against money politics.
The Acting Director, Gender and Inclusivity INEC Headquarters Abuja Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said the decision of young people today determines their future, urging them to do the right thing by collecting their PVCs, never to involve in vote trading but to vote for the right leaders.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC Gombe state, Ibrahim, in an interview with journalists described the youth as critical stakeholders considering their number as such they should participate fully in electoral process, adding that INEC is fully prepared to deliver a fair, free and credible elections.
