Poverty, Unemployment Bane of Vote Buying, Says NYCN President

Hammed Shittu

The National President, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Mr. Sara-Igbe Sukubo has attributed poverty and unemployment among the people of the country as major cause of voting buying that has characterised the electoral processes in the country.

He however urged governments at all levels to address the issues so as to put a stop to the trend in the country.

Speaking at Ilorin yesterday, during a one-day North Central Zone Youth Leadership summit with the theme, “Youth and Leadership in Nigeria: 2023 in Perspective,” Sukubo said the purported issue of voting buying that had characterised elections in the country was due to poverty.

According to him, “the issue of vote buying is a simple matter, the only thing to understand in this electoral process is that there is high level of poverty and unemployment among Nigerians.”

He added, “These two challenges have necessitated vote buying during elections and it is the menace we are facing now in the country and even all over the world.

“The only way to address the issue of vote buying is for the government at all levels to provide a level-playing ground, reduce unemployment and also address the issue of insecurity that will allow peace to reign supreme all over the places in Nigeria.”

Sukubo who called for unity among youths and all other stakeholders in the country ahead of 2023, said it was unity of purpose that would usher in new socio-economic growth of the country.

He also used the occasion to laud the Kwara State governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his youth-inclusive policies in his administration.

He said the development had gone a long way in promoting the skills and intellectual capability of youths in the state.

Sukubo however said the youths would do everything possible to support the governor come 2023, so as to assist him to continue with its youth-inclusive policies.

Earlier, the Vice President, North Central Zone  of NYCN, Muhktar Akoshile said the summit was organised to educate and enlighten youths in the North Central zone that comprise Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Nassarawa, Niger and Plateau States.

He said the era of using youths as a political tool was over the country, adding that the summit would position youth as future leaders that would also take positive responsibility in the democratic governance of the country.

Akoshile, therefore called on the youths in the state to rally round AbdulRazaq so as to ensure more youths are involved in the art of governance come 2023.