For peace to reign, youths seek 50% of elective, appointive positions

A coalition of youth leaders under the aegis of Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders forum yesterday said government must allow them participate in governance at the ratio of 50 per cent of elected and appointed positions for them to sheath their sword.

According to a communiqué signed by the presidents of the Ohaneze Youth, Ijaw Youth Council, Yoruba Youth Council, Arewa Youth, Middle Belt Forum, North East and Ibibio Youth Council, they vehemently advocated that if government want to nip in bud conflicts, they must give them elective and appointed positions from state to federal levels.

They warned political parties to mind their agitations before the 2019 general elections or else they would call for a new political order.
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The President of Ijaw Youth Council, Pereotubo Oweilaemi, who read the text of the communiqué to newsmen in Abuja, lamented that the interest of the youth is not being protected and that is why they are saying it’s a must that by 2019, irrespective of any political party in the country, they should give Nigeria youths 50 per cent of elective position and 50 per cent of appointed position after election.

“If they fail, youth are energetic we will employ our resources to resist them.’’

While commending the leadership of the Coalition of Northern Youths and the Ohaneze Youth Council for their efforts in dousing ethnic tension, they said the meeting was informed by the willingness of the Nigerian youths to debate the possibility of nipping in the bud conflicts that may emerge in the nation.

They called all the agitating groups, Niger Delta militants, Biafra agitators, Arewa youths among others to give peace a chance for the interest and unity of the country.

Meanwhile, 50 youths groups in the country yesterday threatened to commence the recall process for the leadership of the National Assembly Constitution Review Committees jointly led by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sulaimon Yussuff Lasun, over the exclusion of youths in governance.