The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, has urged Nigerian youths to strive to understand the challenges facing the nation, to be able to make well-informed choices in the 2019 general elections.
Abdulkareem gave the advice at the opening of a summit tagged “Vote Your Future”, organised by a group, ‘One-Nigeria’, on Thursday in Ilorin.
The vice-chancellor, represented by the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Lanre Ajibade, said that students, by being well-informed, would be able to vote candidates that would bring the deserved development.
He urged them to vote leaders that would reduce the unemployment rate, provide good and functional health care, address corruption and provide accessible and affordable quality education.
Abdulkareem advised the youth to also get involved in the agricultural sector, describing them as important stakeholders in nation building.
The VC also urged the youth to support the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration, to enhance the socio-economic growth of the country.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was doing everything within its powers to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
According to him, the participation of the youth in such a campaign is imperative because fighting corruption is everybody’s business.
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Earlier, the Country Director of One-Nigeria, Serah Makka-Ugbabe, represented by the Digital Campaign Officer, Nigeria, Mr Olawale Makanjuola, urged Nigerian youth to listen to how all the candidates in the upcoming elections plan to address the challenges in the country before they vote.
He said that Nigerians had a real opportunity to define the future trajectory and set the pace for a new era in Africa’s history, as whoever they elect in 2019 will significantly affect the course of the nation and their collective well-being.
“Nigeria is at a critical time in her history, as the spotlight is on us.
“The stakes have never been higher. It is not an overstatement to say that whoever Nigerians elect in the next election may well determine the course of our nation over the coming decades, and in ways that will deeply affect us all.
“This election matters greatly; and future generations will judge us for the choices we make or do not make in this coming election,” he said.
Mr Abideen Olasupo, one of the 100 most influential young Africans for 2018 by Africa Youth Awards, said that the Summit was brought to Unilorin to mobilise and prepare the students to make informed choices in the 2019 general elections.
Olasupo, an Executive Director of Brain Builders International, also joined other participants at an interactive session where issues bordering on civic responsibilities of the youth were discussed.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme included discussions on the criteria for choosing a presidential candidate in 2019, vote-buying, and issues bordering on job creation, education, health, fighting corruption and tackling insecurity headlong.
PDP FAILED FOR 16 YEARS!!!
When did it become a crime for politicians to play politics?
Were they not voted in to play politics?
Will it be wrong to develop our roads, infrastructure, free education, return oil blocks to the State instead of individuals?
What is this noise all about?
Jonathan was voted for by the South West in 2011, the same SW voted for Buhari in 2015, what is all this noise all about the SW going for Buhari?
Obasanjo, the direct beneficiary of #June12 is from the same State with MKO, why didn’t he play politics and declare June 12?
Jonathan had opportunity for 5 years to do same, he rather gave Abacha from the North posthumous honor, pardoned Ex-convict from the West, Alams from the South…
What do you call that?
Is that politics or chemistry?
16 years opportunity to acknowledge #June12 they refused to use the #PoliticalUndertone…
So are you expecting Buhari to use Biological or Chemical undertone to take such decision?
Why are you guys fixated about those supporting Buhari, is it not a choice and must you dictate to others?
You brought up religious sentiments prio to 2015 election, yet blamed Buhari fr being the religious bigot….
Jonathan was running from one Church to another, Sambo openly told them in the North that they must not vote for Buhari because Osinbajo is a Pastor of a big Church….Who is a religious bigot here?
I mean, who was running from one religious organisation to another in 2015 because of politics? Pastor Bosun came up with that sudden apostasy, wrapped up Jonathan PDP politics in the name of “wake up call” message.
I’m happy that I’m still here. I asked him when most of you were analyzing that heretic message that “Jonathan is fulfilling prophecy”…..
I asked a simple question: “Which prophecy is Jonathan”? Pastor Bosun went ahead to say “even if the Islamic party (APC) presents a Christian Governor in Lagos, you must not vote for him, you must vote for the other party(PDP)…… Wait, who was using religion?
Obasanjo removed Senate Presidents at will, removed any opposing voice, removed Fayose for a small insult, removed Ladoja with thugs in Ibadan….Who are you calling “DICTATOR”? Muhammadu Buhari………
Obasanjo withheld Lagos State fund for 3 years, not minding how Lagosians would eat, Yaradua got there and released the fund…
NASS members were abusing Buhari openly, messing up everything at will, Fayose has been abusing Buhari for 4 years now…..
Not a single State in Nigeria has been denied their constitutional rights because of politics till date, all their funds, Paris fund, bail out, FAAC etc… But who is the DICTATOR? BUHARI.
Jonathan ensured that NASS opposition members were locked out including Tambuwa the Speaker of the house. They had to climb gate to gain access…..
Jonathan empowered OPCs in Lagos and they were destroying anything in Ikorodu to Ojota that looked like opposition party. Orga of DSS was used to invade APC secretariat, Journalist arrested and Newspapers siezed, we forgot all these….
Ekiti was militarised, Fayose was given power from Aso rock to order Military guys at will. Fayemi the incumbent at that moment was rendered powerless that he was shouting when Police commissioner was used by PDP and a guy was shot…All these videos and pictures are still here (google is your friend)…
But who is the dictator? BUHARI. Jonatahn met FX+ECA at $62 billion+. He DEPLETED it to less than $30 Billion in 5 years Jonathan sold crude oil for 5 years at an average of $100 per barrel of 2.2 million daily (2010-2014). Did he add a DIME to Nigeria purse in 5 years? NO.
Buhari the ILLITERATE sold oil at an average of $50 of less than 700,000 barrel at some points because of militancy, yet had moved that FX to $47 Billion in 3 years. Don’t say how much did he borrow if you don’t even have the figure borrowed between 2010-2015 without adding a dime to FX. Who is the ILLITERATE? BUHARIIII.
Jide Omokore, Aluko and oil goddess Alinson made an oil deal of N1 trillion and chose not to remit to Nigeria under GEJ. Did anyone raise eyebrow? INTEL of Atiku refused to remit to NPA, not until last year that “ordinary” Hadiza the NPA boss challenged INTEL and insisted the funds must be remitted.
A Christian Professor had been leading JAMB all through Obasanjo to Jonathan yet for 40 years of JAMB, only N52 Million was remitted to FG….A Muslim Professor who was appointed just in two years of handling JAMB remitted over N15 Billion……FIFTEEN BILLION ooO….
So who is following after righteousness? For five years of Okonjo Iweala was paying over 45,000 ghost workers unabated, yet just within 3 years, “ordinary” Kemi Adeosun removed such nonsense…I ask again who is more effective? Ordinary Abuja metro lane took 11 years from OBJ period that he initiated it.
Stop dividing us over religion, who is fooling who? Please wake up.!