In order to transition the country from consumption to production, Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party's presidential candidate, has reaffirmed his commitment to creating a productive society that is centred on youth development. He said that youth's youthful energy, skills, and potential were essential components.
This unwavering dedication was made clear by Obi in his message for the International Youth Day.
He claimed that without the assistance of the young people, whose future was being harmed by poor administration in the nation, the dream of saving the country from leadership failure would not be realised.
“Everywhere you go in the world, the youths have always championed paradigm shifts in society. The political awakening you notice among Nigerian youths today signifies the hunger and desire in them for a better nation that represents their interests,” Obi said.
He lamented the myriad challenges facing Nigerian youths, as exemplified by a high rate of youth unemployment; little or no access to funding for small businesses; lack of good education, as testified to by the incessant industrial actions that have enveloped Nigeria’s public universities, among others, as factors militating against the success of the youths.
He argued that such neglect of youth development is currently contributing to the nation’s woes by way of rising insecurity and violence, a very unproductive workforce and an unmatched level of drug abuse, which is currently prevalent in the country.
Obi expressed hope in the new Nigeria, where people’s talents and skills will match their opportunities in life.
“I have always maintained that the society we abuse today will take its revenge on us tomorrow. One cannot expect peace and progress in a nation where more than half of the large youth population do not know where their next meal will come from. Our students have been at home for over five months due to Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike.
That is not the kind of future we want to build for our young people,” Obi submitted.
He urged the government to build a nation that inspires hope in its citizens, especially the youths. He maintained that if the government continues to pay a deaf ear to the yearnings of its youthful population, Nigeria will continue to foot-drag its way to growth and development.
While wishing Nigerian youths well on the occasion of their International Youth Day Celebration, Obi encouraged them to remain of good character and conduct, while contributing their quota to the growth of the country.
International Youth Day is celebrated globally on August 12 every year.
Also yesterday, the former national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said that the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has an enormous capacity to lead Nigeria as its President.
He said that the current wave of support across the six geo-political zones of the country in favour of the LP candidate is a demonstration that Nigerians believe in his ability to turn the country around for good.
While bemoaning the worsening insecurity in the country, he said that the federal government is not sincere in its fight against insurgency and banditry, adding that Nigerian security agencies have the wherewithal to secure the country if the leaders show sincere commitment in their fight against insecurity.
Nwodo, who was a former governor of Enugu State also expressed optimism that the 2023 general elections would hold but challenged the Federal Government to show sincere efforts in securing the lives and properties of Nigerians.
“I don’t think that the security challenges in Nigeria are beyond the security agencies under the Federal Government. The inability of the government to arrest and prosecute a single Boko Haram insurgent, bandits, unknown gunmen, marauding herdsmen, etc in the past seven years suggests that the Federal Government is conniving with them. If the government doesn’t want to stamp out insecurity leading to the general elections, what is their plan?
“Let them conduct elections and go away so that we bring a government that would take care of this country. I am calling on them to make sure that the 2023 elections hold,” he said.