The Zonal Secretary of the Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Arthur Ugochukwu, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of pushing youths to the margins of politics.

For decades, many Nigerian youths have decried exclusion from politics and expressed displeasure with political parties’ failure to create inclusive platforms that enable them to thrive in politics and pursue their political ambitions.

While speaking with News Central, Ugochukwu noted that, contrary to popular belief that Nigerian youths are not interested in politics, political parties have discouraged them from participating.

The Imo PDP Zonal Secretary cited the case of the APC-led government in Rivers State, writing the names of their preferred aspirants during the 2023 council elections in the state.

“I will not agree that the youths are not showing interest in leadership, but I will agree that the system has made it so that the youths will be discouraged in so many ways. I come from Imo State. Elections happened in 2023. Council elections happened for the first time in so many years. Youths came out to buy forms. The APC government discouraged the youths by selecting instead of organising and arranging for a proper primary election to be held.

“They wrote the names of their preferred persons, put them on the ballot. On the day of the election, the materials did not come. That is a hatchet system. Most of th people that came out to participate in that election. For over 20 years, we have not had a council election. so those youths came out to have a field day, fulfil themselves in as little as a councillorship. and the names were written in the government house and that is very discouraging on the path of the youths.,” said Ugochukwu.

Speaking further on the challenges facing Nigerian youths, the Imo PDP zonal secretary decried the rate of unemployment, adding that many employers of labour push young graduates into joblessness by demanding several years of work experience from applicants.

“The system has strangled them to the extent that they are losing hope in the country. Look at the unemployment rate in Nigeria. It is part of the things affecting the youth; you graduate from university, you will not find a job. When you find a job vacancy, you will see 14 years of experience. How can a recent graduate have ten years of experience? the system is skewed against the youths.”