A youth group in Ondo State, the Progressive Youth League has urged the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC in the southwestern state pick the deputy governorship candidate from the youth population in the party or “be prepared to lose majority support of the youths” in the November guber elections.
In a statement e-mailed to The Trent on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, from Akure, the state capital of Ondo by the group’s coordinator, Adebowale Akinlosotu, the youth appealed to the leadership of the APC to have rethink about the strength and commitment of the youths as a critical factor to the party’s fortunes at the elections.
“The general position of the youth is that of having somebody of their age grade in the joint ticket will give them the necessary confidence and sense of belonging in government. This will create the necessary synergy that will catalyse youth empowerment,” the statement said.
“Section 47, Clause 1 of the South-African Constitution provided that every citizen who is qualified to vote for the National Assembly is eligible to be a member of the Assembly,” Akinlosotu maintained, while arguing that since “only old men can emerge as governor”, then the next deputy governorship candidate for the party should come from the youth wing of the party.
“In Nigeria, Gen. Yakubu Gowon became the military Head of State at (32), Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi was (42) when he became the Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo was (39) when he became the Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida was (44) when he became the Head of State, Muritala Mohammed was (37) when he became the Head of State, Bode Thomas was Minister at (31), Anthony Enahoro move the motion for independent at the age of (30), Muhammadu Buhari was Governor at (32) & Minister at (34), Frank Nweke Jr. was Minister at (38), Donald Duke was Governor at (38), Yahaya Bello was Governor at (40), Abdul-Aziz Yari was a Governor at (42) and many more. While in Ghana, Brig. Akwasi Afrifa was (36) when he became the Head of State, Gen. Ignatius Kutu was (41) when he was named Head of State, Lit. Fred Akuffo was (41) when he became the Head of State, Lit. Jerry Rawlings was (32) when he became the Head of State,” the statement said.
“It is in this light that a nation like the US continued in its tradition of believe in youths, by giving Barack Obama the mandate to rule. As of the time of his inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the brilliant Obama was only aged (47) years, the US had some other younger people like Theodore Roosevelt (42), John F Kennedy (43), Bill Clinton (46), and Ulysses S. Grant (46).
“And while we cannot say that all the young leaders around the world are doing fantastically well, we would agree that the majority of them have caused great changes that stirred their nations towards the positive light. Some of the outstanding young leaders in the world include Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg (41), Matteo Renzi, Prime Minister of Italy (40) Moussa Mara, Prime Minister of Mali (39) Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, Prime Minister of Iceland (39) Charles Michel, Prime Minister of Belgium (39) Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo (39) Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister of Estonia (35); not forgetting the youngest- Kim Jong-Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea (31),” the statement said.
