Mahmood Yakubu, Others to Headline Call for Youth Participation in Politics

• #FixingNigeria National Youth Conference to hold on Democracy Day

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, will lead other speakers on Democracy Day Conference on how to enhance active youth participation in Politics.

Yakubu will be speaking on the second edition of th annual conferenc tagged #FixingNigeria2.0 with its 2018 theme: Promoting Good Governance & Active Youth Participation in Politic.

The National Publicity Secretary, Fixing Nigeria Group, Mr. Samuel Arua, in a statement yesterday, said the #FixingNigeria National Youth Conference, which is set to hold on the May 29 democracy day will be anchored by the Convener, Fixing Nigeria Project, Mr. Ernest Nwosu.

According to Arua, the conference was created to serve as the platform for all Nigerian youth leaders to express their ideas, discuss and brain storm on short term and long term strategies to fixing Nigeria.

Apart from the INEC Chairman; other speakers include: Sentel Barnes – Country Director, International Republican Institute; Ms Comfort Lamptey – UN Women Country Rep; Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed – Pro Chancellor, Baze University; Dapo Olurunyomi – Publisher, Premium Times as well as Dr. Yemi Kale – Statistician General of the Federation.

He noted that admission to the conference has been made free by the foundation but online registration is required via the Foundation’s website, saying that o”nly registered parties will have their representatives enlisted as panelists for the conference”.

He stated: “Ahead of the 2019 general elections, youth leaders across the country will, on Democracy Day 2018, gather, both offline and online, at the heart of the Nation’s Capital, to brainstorm on best strategies for effective and active participation in politics and to discuss on the imperatives of good governance as a major Key Performance Index for the next leadership.

“In a bid to drive more active youth participation in politics, the Foundation has invited all interested political parties in Nigeria at the conference’s ‘Political Market Square’ plenary session: a panel in which representatives of the various political parties would share with Nigerian youth leaders, their policies and ideologies towards fixing Nigeria.”

According to the National Press Secretary, there would be a political party exhibition, with booths for each party, at which interested youths may register to the political parties of their choice, or gain further information from the parties they seek to join.

Arua said that all patriotic youth leaders, youth bodies are expected to send in their delegates for the conference, social media influencers and indeed all citizens from age 17 – 35 across the nation are also expected to register to attend.

He also listed the Facilitators include: Samson Itodo – Convener, #NotTooYoungToRun; Buldr. Hon. Shamsudeen M.D. Yusuf – Bulaman Zazzau; Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed – Ex Minister for Foreign Affairs II; Ayisha Osori – Author, Love Does Not Win Elections; Dr. Aminu Gamawa – Havard Lawyer; Jakie Ikeotuonye – Good Governance Advocate; Amb. Peter Cole – CEO, Ocean Glory Commodities Ltd; and Amada Chisom – CEO, TourchBlaze Media Consult, Emeka Diru, Fellow, IVLP, United States, Orezi Emeotu, Convener, GymNetwork, Rukayya Iyayi Ibrahim, Project Director, #FixingNigeria Project. Special appearances are Uju Nwachukwu, OAP, KissFm and NEKA, Singer and Songwriter.

The Fixing Nigeria Youth Conference is organized by the Ernest & Ibrahim foundation, a foundation created out of a burning desire to support and propagate efforts in advocacy, education, capacity building and welfare across the countries in Africa and developing nations in the globe, with a primary focus on the Nigerian youth.

The Maiden edition of the Ernest and Ibrahim Foundation’s Youth in Politics advocacy campaign was launched last year in its first Conference tagged #FixingNigeria 1.0, on May 29, 2017, marking the 18th Democracy day in Nigeria. The Conference recorded huge numbers of youth leaders in attendance across Nigeria, with a major call to action for active citizenship, nation building, and patriotism, following which these hundreds of youths from across the nations went back to the grassroot with a renewed hope and fire for the future of our dear great nation.