2023 general elections: Youth participation, interest-push & mobilisation strategy

Discourse around 2023 general elections has  been elaborate in scope. The election appear to be attracting more attention as it is coming at a time when more awakening on the responsiveness of citizens’ participation to wisely choose their representatives who would pilot the affairs of the Country for another political season is becoming strong. It is no doubt that choosing  representatives who would genuinely pilot affairs, in trust, in the best interest of the people and in the firm standing height of meticulous efficiency and effectiveness, has been a costly luxury Nigerians might not have found the fortune to purchase for long. Over time, the failure in performance, as largely witnessed across board at all levels of government, have overwhelmed the profile of evaluation, thus, falling below expectations and largely informing various forms of reactions. Loss of trust and confidence in government have been major forms of reactions among others, just as apathy has formed the resorting disposition of many who have come to conclude their assumption that votes do not count, and as such doing same is a waste of time and resources.

The orientation of the latter has largely permeated the society as situations wax gross over time. The assumption that all aspirants for key positions are all political stakeholders not to be trusted, has grown to find tingling resonance in the pysche of many, following years of failure of successive administrations to meet not just the expectations of the people, but largely, noised promises made during manifestoes and electioneering campaigns. The disappointments have pushed many to apathy towards political processes, particularly voting during election.

The teeming Nigerian youth population seem largely to have been affected by the syndrome, as many over the years have preferred to stay away from the polls. Speaking of participating actively to vie for political post or build support campaigns for worthy youth folks have not been either pronounced. While this has lasted over time, it appears it has dawned on the youths that the brunt of economic hardship is now being much suffered among the youths, whose profile in terms of unemployment and appalling conditions of living are much frustrating.

Hence, an awakening campaign for profound participation of the youths in the political processes has begun to gain momentum. The forthcoming general elections appear to be forming the ground for a drive towards same. The number of youths pushing forth to vie for key positions, unlike before, is gaining ground. This is just as the formation of support campaign for key candidates, the youths believe can push the affairs of government with fresh patterns to depart from the prevailing system which has failed the Country, is taking stronger course. Apparently the youths are awaking to the depth of thoughtfulness in determining the choice of candidates by substance of intelligence and not by mere jingoism and the dramatic Nigerian political traditionalism.

The increasing turn of records of youths turning to get their registration into the voters’ database to obtain their permanent voters’ card (PVC), recently, has received an unprecedented boost. Reports of how across the Country youths are breaking barriers to get the registration done, is sending a signal of a paradigm shift in the youths disposition to political processes, particularly as it concerns the upcoming general elections.

Various forms of mobilisation strategies to propel interest for forceful push towards coordinating activities in formidable dimensions have become to take place. The use of social media has become one mobilisation platform, strongly undergoing exploration for support-base and participation among the youths.

However, this has not been the only platform explored for the course, as other strategies where youths are largely interest-holders have begun to receive the sprinkling reflex of conscious political outreach.

For instance, the European Union (EU) urging youths resident in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, to exercise their civic responsibility by trooping out to register for their PVC ahead of the general elections, took the course ahead with a collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in organising a Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert  intended to draw out more youths to participate in the ongoing PVC registration exercise.

At a joint news conference between a delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and INEC, on Monday, 20th, June, 2022 in Abuja, to herald the flag-off of the exercise, the EU Programme Manager, Democracy and Rule of Law, Laolu Olawumi, had hinted that the event was meant to sensitise youths towards active participation in the registration process. According to the organisers, the concert scheduled for Saturday, the 25th June 2022, at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, will afford the youths opportunity to register for the PVCs, will connect young people to being more proactive to issues of governance, to help attain a shift in the culture of the young people and make politics and governance attractive to the young persons.

“The European Union has been a strong, major partner of the Nigerian government, particularly since the return to democracy in 1999. And we have quite an array of programmes in our development cooperation portfolio, and this is one of our flagship programmes. The program is fully funded by the European Union but the good thing about it is that it is locally driven and we are trying to bring civically-cultured celebrities, influencers, and bloggers; bring them together to help us speak to young people on how to get their PVCs,” she was quoted.

That Nigeria is at another crossroad is no gainsaying. How the road is to be crossed is pertinent, as such decisions will take the Country for another round of political season. The choices of leaders over time cannot be expunged from the unsavoury condition the Country is presently wading through. The youths have been held in the midst of the mire, and largely affected. Making intelligent choices that keep the prestige of the most tangible option to the nearest reflections of the perfect decisions have become an obligation the youth must labour to fulfill, to drive a change that is mostly necessary to reshape the architecture of governance in the Country.