2023: Peterside Harps on Youth Participation in Nigerian Politics

Oluchi Chibuzor

Nigerian Economist and Statesman, Mr. Atedo Peterside, has harped on active involvement of Nigerian youth in steering the course of the country’s politics through maximum participation at the polls come 2023.

Delivering a keynote address at the first edition of the Future Leaders Conference, which was held in Lagos recently, Peterside noted that there would be a complete overhaul of the country’s political system with the youth population coming out en-mass to exercise their franchise. 

He maintained that with the mass of young people coming out to vote at the polls, the country is poised to elect a leader who would reflect the wishes and aspirations of a new Nigeria and spur growth in all sectors of the economy.

He said: “Young people must understand that until they get to the point where they are afraid of you and your votes, nothing is going to change in Nigeria. When MKO Abiola won in Lagos of course I was much younger. When I came out of my street on Victoria Island to vote, we were a sea of young people. Everybody came out for one reason.

“You have to get to that point where you come out for elections and when the existing systems lose, they know that it is because the bulk of young people voted against them.” 

Peterside added: “For the person who is disillusioned, you are not going to get a connection with him unless he or she feels that you understand their problem.

“During the fuel scarcity period, Kate Henshaw did a video. That was a message from the heart, somebody in a fuel queue angry and in many ways she was able to resonate with the feelings of the average person.

“People would come using all the emotions in this world- it could be anger- to communicate the need for youth participation in Nigeria’s politics.” 

On his part, Co-founder, The Future Leaders Network (FLN), Mr. Tobe Rapu, noted that although the conference was the organisation’s first, the journey has been fulfilling to the FLN team.

“We believe that Nigeria should have a drive for change and the people to drive that change is the young people that is why we have brought people together to organise programs to address what leadership, social, economic and political reforms are about,” Rapu said.

Adding to the discussion, Mr. Okhai Ohiwere, stated that as an organisation the message to the Nigerian youth is: “Get your PVC now. As young people, we need to understand that to mobilise and change the country, we must be part of the narrative.”

The Founders of the Future Leaders Network are Mr. Tobe Rapu, Mr. Okhai Ohiwerei, Mr. Tobe Irukwu and Mr. Bolaji Onalaja