From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has charged African youths to take centre stage in promoting peaceful and credible elections across the continent.
He also urged them to actively engage in the electoral process with a positive mindset, shun electoral malpractices and uphold democratic values.
The electoral umpire made the appeal, while delivering a lecture on “Democracy and Peaceful Elections in West Africa,” to the students of International Affairs and Diplomacy and those of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Civil Service University in the Republic of The Gambia. He highlighted the indispensable role of young people in the electoral processes, noting that elections in Africa cannot succeed without the youths’ participation.
“Young people form the backbone of election duty staff,” he said, adding, “Election management bodies (EMBs) lack the manpower to conduct elections without recruiting youths as temporary or ad hoc staff.”
He emphasised that beyond logistics and staffing, youths also make up the largest segment of the voting population.
He said: “Before the elections, they are involved in voter registration, one of the most critical stages of the electoral cycle. It is a duty that must be undertaken with sincerity, patriotism and a sense of responsibility.”
Making a passionate appeal, Yakubu urged the youths to be upright and law-abiding, stressing, “If you want peaceful elections, play your part for God and country. Do the right thing. Obey the laws and regulations. That’s how we make every votes count.”
He also drew attention to the role of the youths as political party agents, cautioning against misrepresenting facts or feeding political stakeholders with false information, which he warned, could trigger violence and undermine public trust in the process.
While turning to the influence of digital media, Prof. Yakubu warned against the spread of fake news, particularly during election periods. “Don’t be among the fake news merchants. If it’s not verified, don’t share it. As citizen reporters, you have a duty to report elections truthfully and responsibly,” he said.
He concluded by encouraging young people not to lose faith in democracy or withdraw from civic engagement.
“This is the system we have chosen. It is ours to nurture, defend and improve. Every young African must play a role in deepening and strengthening democratic institutions,” he said.