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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The role of young people in political leadership and governance is important for development and democracy in Nigeria, British High Commissioner Catriona Laing has said.
Represented by Dr Christopher Pycroft, the Development Director, British High Commission, at a mentoring program for young candidates in Northern Nigeria in the 2023 elections, he held that,” The participation of young people is critical to the quality and outcomes of Nigeria’s democratic engagement and progress.
”We must all work together to ensure young people are encouraged to participate, to make their voices heard, and can contribute to shaping the future,” he stated.
“Nigeria is a young country – the average age of its population is just over 17. But young people are too often excluded from Nigeria’s political processes, left without a voice, without influence.
“It is essential that young people are engaged in the political process, and well represented in the formulation and implementation of policies that will shape their lives – at all levels of government: he stated.
“Inclusive political participation is crucial to building stable and peaceful societies, and to building an effective social contract that establishes the relationship between the state and its citizens.
He recalled that in the 2019 general elections, only 46 per cent of young people turned out to vote at the Presidential and National Assembly elections but admitted that the recent passing of the “Not Too Young To Run” Constitutional Amendment Bill was a major milestone.
He also stated that young women were being further left behind in the push to strengthen youth political participation in Nigeria as women accounted for less than 5 per cent of elected officials in the 2019 general elections.
He, therefore, stressed that the full and equitable participation of women in public life is key to building strong and vibrant democracies.
Getting young people – and particularly young women – engaged in the political process is a shared objective, long overdue in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
