THE Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has expressed that the youths constituted the majority of the 9.7 million newly registered voters between the 27th of April, 2017 and 14th of June, 2018.
This he disclosed at the Campus Outreach organised by the Commission in commemoration of Europe Day at the University of Lagos, Akoka in Lagos.
While speaking, Professor Mahmood said that proper elections cannot be conducted in the country without the young people.
He explained that there are 120,000 polling units nationwide and each polling unit is manned by a minimum of four ad-hoc staff on the election day, who are young people that have graduated from the country’s tertiary institutions and are serving the country on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“We also make use of students from tertiary institutions. So you help the commission to conduct elections in this country. You are very lucky because you are the most educated, the most patriotic, the most readily available election duty staff available to INEC on election day.”
He beseeched the youths to take it upon themselves to register, vote and make the necessary change they all desire.
According to the Electoral umpire, “INEC is coming to you and therefore the last point I want to make is that at the end of this programme, our registration centres will be opened right outside this hall so that each and every one of you who have not registered should seize the opportunity to register.
“I know part of the reasons you would give for those who have not registered is that there are very few registration centres and you have to queue for a very long time and not end up registering.
“Secondly, it would take a long time before you get your PVC. Sadly, you would say at the end of the day your vote won’t count. If these are the reasons, you have no reasons.”
“There cannot be a proper election without the youths. You are everything. You don’t know the power that you have. You make the democratic system work.”
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Mr. Sam Olumekun also assured the students that their votes would count.
“Today, the battle you have to fight is to get your PVC and vote rightly. If you want the good times to come, get your voter’s cards and vote. If you think that your votes will not count, forget it because it is a new day in INEC and also a new day in the electoral process in the country.”
Speaking also, The Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe said that all Nigerians have a crucial role to play in the democratic process and all segments of the population must be fully mobilized and hence the voter education campaign for students must be applauded.
He added that the youth constitutes an important segment of Nigeria’s population, saying that they are energetic, innovative, adventurous, zealous and veritable change agents, but these qualities must be harnessed and channelled in the right direction if they must yield positive dividend.
“One of the worthy causes to which young people’s interest and ideas should be directed in Nigeria is the attainment of good governance; and to attain good governance, young people must be involved in the electoral and political processes.”
The Don lauded President Muhammad Buhari for signing the ‘Not too young to run’ bill into law on May 31, 2018.
“The reduction of the age qualification for the office of the president from 40 years to 30 years; that of governor from 35 to 30 years; House of representatives and state house of assembly from 30 to 25 years, confirms Nigeria’s willingness to provide opportunities for young people to participate fully in the necessary political processes,” he said.
Prof. Oluwatoyin expressed that INEC has underscored the point that youth votes count, adding that youth must utilize the advantage of their numeric strength positively.
“They cannot be effective change agents if they remain aloof or become apathetic towards political and electoral processes.
“I, therefore, urge all students of the University of Lagos to seize the opportunity provided by this event to engage with the policymakers here to present on matters related to their participation in the electoral process,” he said.
The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen said that the youths are not only the future but also the presence, adding that sixty per cent of Nigeria’s population are the youths.
“Standing for Nigeria will make Europe continue to support the consolidated democratic processes of the country,” he said.
Mr Karlsen also said that EU has been supporting key institutions in the country such as INEC, National Assembly and Civil Societies because the partnership is not about reaching out to politicians only but also to civil societies.
An Award Winning Actor/Comedian, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, who spoke during the panel session, said that she would be registering for PVC for the first time because “someone is coming out that I solely believe in.”
She admonished the youths to have confidence in the process, saying that” I am here because I am hopeful and I pray that the INEC chairman is as genuine as he sounds.
She also told the youths to remember that the people they voted for might not win but appealed to waste vote in 2019.
The Panel session was moderated by a Broadcast Journalist and INEC Youth Ambassador, Seun Okinbaloye and other panellists were An Award-winning actress/comedian, INEC Youth Ambassador, Helen Paul; Ayo ‘AY’ Makun; Multi-award winning Comedian, Bright Okpara ‘Basketmouth’ and a 400 Level Sociology Department Student, Babatunde Durowoju.
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