Controversy has been trailing 67 Million Youth Infinitive since its announcement on social media.It is aimed at promoting youth participation in the governance of Nigeria. Some have hailed the idea, while others have condemned it, saying it is a ploy to help President Muhammadu Buhari win in 2019.
The average Nigerian youth has lost faith in the system. Investigations revealed that most of them are seeking greener pastures abroad. The ones that have no plans to travel are not thinking of going into politics or taking part in the selection process of leaders.
Who is a Nigerian youth? The second Nigerian National Youth Policy (2009) states that “the youth shall comprise of all young males and females aged 18-35 years, who are citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, youths in Nigeria make up about 63% of the eligible voting population. Therefore, youths constitute the majority of the voting population.
The Next Edition learnt that with a population of about 190 million, Nigeria has a voting population of 95.8 million. Investigations revealed that the youth voting population is 67 million.
As a result of that, the 67 Million Youth Initiative was born with the aim of making youths aware of their voting power and get involved in Nigerian politics. The first step is encouraging young Nigerians who have reached the voting age to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards PVC).
One of the founders of the group, Adebola Williams who is a co-publisher of Ynaija magazine and MD, Red Media Africa, has been taking pictures with Nigerian celebrities who have collected their PVCs as a way of encouraging the youth. Since young people are inspired by these celebrities, they could also get their PVCs.
A banker in his early 30s, Mudashiru Lawal, commended the efforts of those behind it saying it is good for the youths to get involved in governance.
Speaking with The Next Edition, he said, “It is time for the youth to be part of the decision making process in Nigeria. We have been bench warmers for far too long. Look at Emmanuel Macron, the president of France. He is 40 years old. Why can’t we have a leader as young as that?”
In a similar vein, Olufemi Penzaar Oguntamu, a young Nigerian on Twitter said “This is Nigeria, and we are the generation that should drive it. We are the 67 Million Initiative. We stand for youth leadership. We stand for growth. Join 67 Million Youth.”
However, there are some youths who are not satisfied with the names they have seen on the list of those behind the campaign. They are of the view that the list contains supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari and some of his aides. Therefore, they feel the main aim is to indirectly campaign for Buhari.
Some of the names on the list of delegates are, Abubakar Sadiq Aruwa, Japhet Omojuwa, Ahmed Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, Rinsola Abiola, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, to mention but a few.
Salihu Tanko Yakasai is an APC member and an aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State. Bashir Ahmad is an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, while Rinsola Abiola is a member of the All Progressives Congress Board of Trustee (BOT).
The youths who are not in support of the 67 Million Initiative took to Twitter handles to express their views. Most of them are of the view that with the dwindling fortunes of President Buhari, this move will distract youths in the Southern part of Nigeria and the Middle Belt where the President has become somewhat unpopular, while the he maintains his robust support base in the core North.
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A social commentator, Ohimai Godwin Amaize wrote: “You launch a youth campaign claiming to be representing 67 million Nigerian youths and the list of your influencers is populated with core Buhari supporters. And you are non-partisan? We are not stupid.”
Oluyemi Fasipe, another social commentator who never shies away from topics that affect the youth believes that the main aim of the group is to distract the youth and enable Buhari win in 2019. He said “Those who packaged Buhari as a reformed democrat and sold him to Nigerians in 2015 have come with another strategy to mobilize for Buhari in 2019. 67 Million Youth initiative is a scam. I warned in 2014 and I am warning again. Stay woke.”
A Twitter user with the handle @DrChiemeziem wrote: “One youth said he was mobilizing 67 million youths to fight for the soul of Nigeria’s democracy. Check his time line on Twitter to see if he has condemned this attack on our democracy. He hasn’t. He was working for Buhari all along like he did in 2015. May God continue to fish out the wolves.”
Oluwatosin Akinbulumo urged Nigerian youths not to be part of it saying that it is aimed at helping Buhari win in 2019. “I wouldn’t expect any reasonable Nigerian youth to fall into the 67 Million Youth campaign been orchestrated by a group of people who once blindly sold the nation into slavery,” he said. “Forget about the branding and media push, we already know the direction from the start” he added.
In a similar vein, Chukwemeka Nnadozie another social commentator on twitter said “The 67 Million Youth Initiative is another group of deranged youths seeking to foist Buhari on us for their personal gains. We have seen this madness before during the Abacha era. It is dead on arrival.”
Efforts to reach Adebola Williams, one of the conveners, proved abortive at the time of filing this report as his number was not reachable.
The Next Edition learnt that a national convention will be held in Abuja on Saturday, 11 August, 2018 to launch the initiative.
