Yiaga Africa Launches Analysis Report of Youth and Female Candidacy Ahead of FCT Council Elections
- Young candidates and the leadership of political parties in Abuja had the opportunity to share ideas and engage ahead of the FCT council elections
- The opportunity was made possible by a town hall meeting organised by Run To Win with support from Voice Nigeria
- At the event, many of the participants shared ideas and brainstormed on the future of young Nigerians in politics
FCT, Abuja - Yiaga Africa on Friday, November 19 launched its analysis report of youth and female candidacy in the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.
The report was launched at a town hall meeting in Abuja under Yiaga Africa's Run To Win platform and sponsored by Voice Nigeria.
Source: Facebook
The report is aimed at ensuring that competent young people with fresh ideas get elected in the elections slated for February 2022.
Ibrahim Farouk, Programme Manager, governance and development programme, Yiaga Africa, said the event was a build up on the passage of the Not Too Young To Run law.
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He said that Run To Win is a campaign dedicated to supporting young women and men with competence, capacity and character to contest and win elections in Nigeria borne from the demands from the Not Too Young to Run campaign.
His words:
“There are a few things we hope to see after today, one is that it increases awareness around the 2022 FCT Area council elections because we know that there is a lot of voter apathy when it comes to area council elections in FCT.
“Secondly is how we increase visibility for young people who are running for elective offices positions in the area councils election especially.
“Our analysis has shown us that 14 political parties and 227 young candidates are either contesting for councillorship or chairmanship elections in the 2022 area council elections.’’
“Thirdly, is also how can young candidates and their political party leaders come together and have a discussion, to understand some of those challenges, the needs that young people who are running for office have and what the parties can do to support them.
“One of the things that we hope at the end of today is that we will get a strong commitment from political parties.
“We have 14 political parties who are fielding candidates in the area council elections and we want to get a strong commitment from that they are going to support young people, mobilise on their behalf and help them protect their mandate and help them campaign
“We are also going to do what we have to do as non-governmental organisation, as a non-partisan organisation, in providing support for all youth candidates who are running in the area council election.”
At the town hall meeting, young candidates listed their challenges to contest the elections to include finance, insecurity, godfatherism among others.
How Young Nigerians Launched ‘Run to Win’ Ahead of 2023
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the Run To Win movement was launched by Yiaga Africa, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Speaking on the initiative, Yiaga Africa's program manager, Cynthia Mbamalu said:
“The Run To Win initiative is basically designed to empower and support young men and women with competence, character, and capacity to run for office. But the idea for Run To Win is not just about contesting, it is also ensuring that the contest and win elections.”
Experts Proffer Solutions on How Nigerian Youths Can Participate in Elections
Meanwhile, experts have called on Nigerian youths to take an interest and participate in the nation's electoral process at all times.
The advice was given at the Campus Conversation on Youth Participation organised by Yiaga Africa at the University of Abuja mini campus Gwagwalada on Tuesday, November 9.
Obinna Osisiogu, Convener We Vote, who sat as a panelist at the event, commended the openness the students displayed in sharing their distrust in the political system of the country and recommended participation and more engagement from the youth as a solution to the problem.
Source: Legit.ng
