Following #30PerCentOrNothing we ask, are young people really needed in Nigeria’s politics?

by Adedayo Ademuwagun

Recently the PDP chairman Adamu Mu’azu engaged his followers on Twitter about why young people should join a political party and participate prominently there. His discussion raised many important points and got a good deal of positive feedback from people.

Young people often complain about what’s wrong with the system and what politicians are doing wrongly, and Mu’azu admitted that this is in order. But he said that instead of being critics alone, youths can create more change by joining party politics. His philosophy is that the system is flawed but that injecting new blood in the system will lead to reforms.

He said, “For over 30 years now, the politicians make you believe that politics is a dirty game that should be avoided by good people. It’s a lie. Imagine if we have 20,000 new members in a ward, they’ll shape the structure of our party in that ward. That’s why we are now urging good people to join party politics.”

Many youths believe that to thrive in politics, one needs to have a load of money. Some of these youths are passionate and smart and they have some leadership potential, but they feel they don’t stand a chance in any party because they don’t have money to splash. But Mu’azu said it doesn’t work like that.

“A person who has no money, no prominent family name or a political godfather might be very intelligent. You may be a very good lawyer, doctor, journalist, teacher, accountant or speech writer, so when you join a party, you can exhibit your potentials.

“Many politicians are always busy and on the move, so they easily take notice of fellow party men/women who are exceptionally intelligent. Many of them cannot think for themselves on all issues, they therefore will always need thinkers around them.

“By joining a political party and adding value to the party, you’ll always be recognised and distinguished. It’s like sweeping a mosque regularly. The imam must surely notice you. These are simply strategies.”

Oluyinka is a former councillor and presently a local government administrator. He gives his experience, “I joined party politics in 2004 to contest for the councillorship election in my area in Lagos. But before then I took part in some mobilisation for NRC during the 1993 election when I was in school.

“I joined one party in 2004 and decided to contest because I was moved by the problems in my community and I wanted to contribute to a change. I was into building construction, and from the jobs I was getting, I raised money for my campaign.

“To join a party is not the problem, but to contest in an election is the problem. You need money to contest in any election, or there’s no way you’re going to win or even get your party members’ support. Money is the decisive thing in politics. There’s no way through without money. So how will a young man or woman who recently graduated and has a modest job raise money to do a campaign?

“That’s the situation for most youths in parties today. They don’t have the money to push their ambition even if they have any. So politicians who have the money use them to mobilise support for themselves. The youths don’t have any chance at elective positions because they don’t have money.’

This year when the APC announced the costs of their forms for governorship and presidential aspirants, many youths kicked the party for the ‘exorbitance’ and for purportedly pricing their forms beyond the means of young people. But do youths need to be patient about contesting in elections and first spend some time building themselves within a party? That’s what Mu’azu thinks.

He said, “Climbing the political ladder is gradual. Many young people want to join a political party today and contest in an election tomorrow, but things don’t work like that. In joining a political party, you must be patient and have a strong political ideology. Many of the big names today joined 30 years ago.”

Elections are coming up soon and already youths have been talking about the build up and how they’ll participate in the elections. Social media is facilitating these discussions. Politicians are persuading youths to join their party and not just talk from outside. But how is joining a party significant for youth involvement in politics?

Mu’azu said, “Our party needs [young] people with great and fresh ideas. I’m not saying you must join our great party the PDP, but just join a political party and start adding value. The more active you become, the greater your influence.”

Comments (13)

  1. at least for once, lets chnge the setting.

  2. well asked

  3. everybody is going there for thier god fucking pocket.

  4. a trial will convince us

  5. elections will be based on play play. davido and wizkid party

  6. that will be a big disaster if we youths come in

  7. all of them just want to boos their pockets joor

  8. atiku has promised to include the youths.

  9. true talk, all dos people are too old for us

  10. well said

  11. yes of cos, we own the future

  12. Nice talk, he has spoken well, youth should be given chance in politics

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail