The Commissioner for Youth Political Participation in Africa for Pan-African Youth Union (PYU) Comrade Oladele Nihi, has called on the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi to ensure state governors include youths in governance.
Nihi, who doubles as the President, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), made the call when he led national and continental youth leaders on a courtesy visit to the Ekiti state governor in Ado Ekiti on Friday.
He congratulated Dr. Fayemi on his emergence as Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum.
“Your Excellency will doubtlessly recall that under the first term administration of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, in which you were a frontline player, the ‘Not too Young to Run’ Bill was signed into law in Nigeria. As a direct consequence of this new law, we have seen a well enhanced number of young Nigerians, emerging from the last general elections in Nigeria, into public political leadership; particularly, in the legislative arms of the federal and state governments.
“Consequently, it is the thinking of the leaderships of both the PYU and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) that the manifest first-lap successes of the ‘Not too Young to Run’ Law be further consolidated by deliberate youth political participation policies at both the state and federal levels.
“As you are well aware Sir, a core objective of the entire ‘Not too Young to Run’ Movement is to orchestrate the direct hands-on practical mentorship and succession-activation of future leadership by incumbent leadership,” he said.
Responding to Comrade Nihi’s statement, the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Pastor Michael Awopetu, who led other government appointees to stand in for the Governor, noted that the state government is more than ready to run with the blueprint proposed by Comr. Nihi.
He also urged for more advocacy and programs that can lead to youths interpersonal development and mind branding.
