Ahead of the 2027 general elections, chieftains of the Accord Party have urged youths to move beyond mere political participation and social media activism to embrace purposeful leadership, personal development, community service and responsible electoral participation.

The call was made during a two-day orientation summit organised by the Office of the Youth Leader of Accord in Oyo State for youth leaders, party stakeholders, candidates and members of the party across the 11 local government areas in Oyo Central Senatorial District.

Speaking as a guest speaker on the theme, “From Political Participation to Purposeful Leadership, Service and Grassroots Development,” the Southern and Regional Director of Mobilisation and Contact of Accord, Dr Mustapha Adegboyega Abdullateef, said youths should equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and values required to make meaningful contributions to society.

Abdullateef, a grassroots leader and stakeholder in the party, identified personal development, people’s development and communal development as three critical areas young people should prioritise if they wanted to make meaningful impact through politics.

He said political participation should not be viewed merely as a means of seeking political positions, but as an avenue to improve people’s lives and develop communities.

“Let these youths get themselves developed. Let them get themselves equipped with what is needed to be an active participant in politics,” he said.

He urged young politicians to cultivate a commitment to service, stressing that anyone given an opportunity to hold public office should see it as an opportunity to serve the people rather than pursue personal interests.

“Let them have the mind that once they are given the opportunity to serve, they are going there to serve their people,” Abdullateef said.

He also urged youths to develop what he described as a “communal development instinct”, which, according to him, would enable them to participate in politics with the welfare and development of their communities in mind.

“The community, they are the stronghold of every political exhibition,” he said.

Abdullateef said meaningful development could not be achieved without meaningful political participation, urging youths to move beyond online activities and position themselves where decisions affecting their communities were made.

“There is nothing like better development without better participation in politics, either we like it or not,” he said.

He noted that the creation of youth wings and youth structures by political parties underscored the importance of young people in the political process, urging them to use the opportunity to improve representation.

He cautioned youths against allowing political participation to degenerate into youthful exuberance, thuggery, hooliganism and other social ills.

According to him, self-development would help young people resist negative influences and channel their energy into productive activities.

“Any youth that took his or her time to develop themselves will not be found wanting in different illegal or social habits of engaging into social ills,” he said.

The Accord chieftain likened purposeful political engagement to education, saying a young person who understood the purpose of education would remain focused on acquiring knowledge instead of being distracted by negative influences.

He also warned against seeing political office as an avenue for personal enrichment, stressing that the primary responsibility of government was the welfare and development of the people.

Abdullateef identified security of lives and property, provision of amenities, personal development, community development and people-oriented development among the responsibilities of government.

He said when political leaders regarded public office principally as an opportunity to enrich themselves, their families and associates, governance would fail to serve its purpose.

Reflecting on his political journey, Abdullateef recalled the influence of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and former governor of the old Oyo State, Chief Bola Ige, on his political outlook.

He described Awolowo as a political thinker whose policies, particularly in education, remained influential, adding that Ige implemented aspects of the philosophy during his tenure.

Abdullateef said he personally benefited from Ige’s free education programme introduced in 1980, which enabled him and many other young people to obtain secondary education.

“Somebody like me and a lot of others like me wouldn’t have the opportunity of going to school. I schooled under Chief Bola Ige’s free education in 1980 till when he left the office,” he said.

He said the education he received under the programme laid the foundation for his subsequent tertiary education and contributed significantly to his development.

On the 2027 Oyo State governorship election, Abdullateef expressed confidence that the Accord candidate, Dr Oriyomi Hamzat, would emerge victorious.

He said the party’s mobilisation strategy would focus strongly on youths and women, adding that their support would be critical to the party’s electoral prospects.

The Accord chieftain urged youths supporting the party to convert their enthusiasm, social media activities and street mobilisation into effective grassroots organisation and political participation.

He said, “Don’t just put yourself together as youth without transforming it to physical standards, where decisions are about to be made.”

Also speaking, the Oyo State Youth Leader of Accord, Comrade RTR Tiamiyu Taiwo Ademola, urged youths across the state to take ownership of their votes and reject vote-selling ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ademola said the orientation summit was organised to bring together youth leaders and members from the 11 local government areas in Oyo Central to cross-fertilise ideas, strengthen unity and develop effective strategies for grassroots mobilisation.

According to him, the programme was designed to foster love and cooperation among party members while preparing the youth structure for effective mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said youths constituted a significant part of the electoral process and therefore had a responsibility to participate actively in determining the leadership of the state.

Ademola called on  members of the party to take ownership of their votes and work towards delivering Accord candidates at the polls.

He also appealed to youths across Oyo State not to allow political considerations or financial inducements to compromise their votes.

“Don’t sell your conscience, don’t sell your future. Vote honourably for people that you think they are the right person to handle the affairs of every respective office,” he said.

The youth leader described the 2027 election as an opportunity for young people to influence the direction of governance in the state, urging them to come out en masse and exercise their franchise.

He expressed confidence in the prospects of Accord in the governorship election and other legislative contests, describing the party’s governorship candidate as a grassroots politician who, according to him, understood the concerns of ordinary people.

Ademola said the party’s youth mobilisation would extend to communities across the state, with the objective of encouraging young people to participate actively in the electoral process and support Accord candidates.

The summit, according to the organisers, was designed to educate, inspire and equip young people for responsible political participation, effective leadership, selfless service and sustainable grassroots development.

Its objectives included promoting active political participation among youths, building purposeful leaders committed to service and integrity, strengthening grassroots mobilisation and community engagement, engaging candidates and stakeholders on youth development priorities, and fostering unity and collaboration across Oyo Central.

Abdullateef and Ademola urged the youths to see their participation in politics as a responsibility to their communities and future generations, rather than merely an avenue for securing political appointments or material benefits.

They maintained that purposeful youth participation, personal development, responsible voting and grassroots engagement would be essential to achieving the kind of political leadership and community development they desired.