Ahead of elections coming up in Osun state on Saturday, President of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, has urged the electorates particularly the youths not to sell their votes but vote candidates who have the competence and capacity into office in order to ensure delivery of dividends of democracy.
Sukubo said this in Ilorin on Tuesday at a One-day youth leadership seminar for youths in the North Central, with the theme:”Youth and Leadership in Niger:2023 in Perspective “.
He said the council is gravely concerned about the high level of vote buying that rocked the recent elections in Ekiti state which also involved a large number of youths hence the call became necessary.
The NYCN president said its unthinkable that any youth would sacrifice four years of good performance in government for N10,000 or even more saying that it’s sacrilegious and unpardonable.
He said, “Nothing could be more maddening than that, so we are seriously appealing to the electorates in Osun particularly our youths to think out of the box and vote for competence.
“That is the only way to hold them accountable if they are not fulfilling their electoral promises. But if you have collected money or any material gains, you have given them licence to be corrupt in government and the masses are the losers, the money collected therefore couldn’t justify the sufferings that would be inflicted on the people by those who bought your votes.”
Sukubo also called on other stakeholders in Osun state to actively participate on the election day and vote for candidates of their choice.
He however attributed the problems of vote buying among youths to unemployment and poverty urging the political leaders to do the needful by providing a level playing ground for everyone to survive.
“The only way to address the issue of this 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 place in Nigeria”.
Sukubo who called for unity among the youths and all other stakeholders in the country ahead of 2023 said that, it is 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 youths inclusive in his administration.
He said that, the development has gone a long way of promoting the skills and intellectual capability of youths in the state.
Sukubo however said that, the youths would do everything possible to support the governor come 2023 so as to assist him to continue with its youths inclusive in governance.
Earlier, the vice president, north central zone of NYCN, Comrade Muhktar Akoshile said that, the summit was organised to educate and enlighten youths in the North Central zone that comprise of Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Nassarawa, Niger and Plateau states.
He said that, the era of using youths as a political tool has gone in the country adding that, the summit will position the youths as future leaders that will also take positive responsibility in the democratic governance of the country.
Akoshile, therefore called on the youths in the state to rally round the Governor AbdulRazaq so as to ensure more youths are involved in the art of governance come 2023.