Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerian youths to take an active role in shaping the country’s political future, declaring that their time to lead is now and not tomorrow.
Atiku made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing youths of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as part of activities marking International Youth Day.
Speaking to the young delegates, the former presidential candidate said he was not at the gathering merely to seek their votes but to build a partnership with them towards creating a Nigeria where young people can realise their potential.
“I stand before you today not simply as a presidential candidate asking for your support. I stand before you as a Nigerian who believes that our young people have waited long enough,” Atiku said.
“For decades, young Nigerians have been told to be patient, to wait their turn, and to prepare themselves because they are the leaders of tomorrow. But tomorrow has been promised to Nigerian youths for too long.
“Your time is not tomorrow. Your time is now.”
Atiku said his engagement with the ADC youth wing was intended to move beyond discussions about the difficulties facing young Nigerians and towards giving them a direct role in determining the country’s future.
“I have therefore not come here simply to speak about your frustrations. You know those frustrations better than I do because you live with them every day. I have come to offer you a partnership to change the conditions that created them and to ask you to become active participants in building the Nigeria you deserve,” he said.
The former vice president said many young Nigerians had fulfilled the traditional expectations of working hard and obtaining an education, only to graduate into an economy where degrees no longer guarantee employment or financial security.
He noted that the growing migration of skilled young Nigerians to countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States was a reflection of the limited opportunities available at home.
“We call it Japa, but it is more than a slang word. It is a verdict on a system that has failed to give many of its brightest young people sufficient reason to believe that their dreams can be realised at home,” Atiku said.
He, however, praised Nigerian youths for their resilience and creativity, pointing to their contributions to technology, entertainment, agriculture, fashion and the wider digital economy despite inadequate infrastructure and limited access to finance.
According to him, the achievements of young Nigerians under difficult conditions demonstrate what could be accomplished if government institutions functioned effectively.
“If Nigerian youths can achieve so much while struggling against unreliable electricity, poor infrastructure, insecurity, unemployment and limited access to capital, imagine what you can accomplish when government actually works,” he said.
Atiku blamed government policy choices for many of the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians, arguing that leadership should focus on reducing hardship rather than continually asking citizens to endure it.
“Leadership is not the art of explaining suffering. Leadership is the responsibility to reduce it,” he said.
Atiku also promised greater political inclusion for young Nigerians, saying his political programme would deliberately create opportunities for a new generation to enter leadership.
He said at least 30 per cent of legislative candidates under the platform would be below 40 years old, while expressing a desire to see significant representation of people below 30.
“At least 30 percent of our legislative candidates will be under the age of forty, and I want to see a significant number under thirty,” he said.
He, however, challenged young Nigerians to prepare themselves for leadership by acquiring knowledge of governance, public finance, policy and institutions.
“Do not simply complain about the people making decisions. Prepare yourselves to replace those who are failing you,” Atiku said.