The leadership of Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Edo State Chapter has urged youths across the state to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and register to vote in next year’s general elections.
The youth body also tasked Nigerian youths to prepare, and be ready to participate actively in the 2023 general elections by enthroning youth-focused leaderships at all level.
YAN Ambassador representing Edo State, Dr. Laurel Agbonwaneten Aigbogun made the call in a statement on Friday, while calling on youths to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He reminded the youths and members of YAN that next year’s elections present another opportunity to elect good leadership, adding “but we can only do that with our PVCs.”
The YAN Ambassador, however, lauded the massive turn out of youths across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo state, so far, in the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise.
Ambassador Aigbogun admonished the youths and members of the youth body to take into cognisance, their civil rights and responsibilities as Nigerian citizens and eligible voters in the country.
“In the course of clamouring for a better Nigeria, the responsibility lies on our shoulders to enlighten others about the importance of having a PVC and voting during elections,” he said.
The YAN Ambassador also took a swipe at the country’s leadership over the insecurity bewildering Nigeria, even as he wondered what the Nation was celebrating on Democracy Day.
According to him, “As regards the recent Democracy day celebration, it is pertinent to note that such a day is not worth celebrating in a country that has plunged into economic and security challenges, ethnic and religious violence, high rate of unemployment, hunger and frustration of the citizens.”
He highlighted four key elements of Democracy, which he listed to include: the protection of Human Rights of all citizens; Rule of Law (applicable to all citizens irrespective of social or financial status); active participation of Nigerians in policies and decision making, and free and fair elections (birthing a system of government of the people, by the people and for the people).
The YAN Ambassador, however, lamented that these key elements of democracy does not reflect the true situation of the modern day Nigeria.
“Youths have been relegated and largely marginalized from mainstream politics and decision making process due to our passive participation in politics,” Ambassador Aigbogun said.
“It is high time, we Nigerians looked beyond party and stomach infrastructure affiliation, tribal, ethnic or religious sentiments in repositioning our country, Nigeria on the right trajectory of greatness as Giant of Africa,” the statement added.
