Ondo 2016: Youth Group Solicits For Deputy Governorship Slot
A Group, Progressive Youth League, Ondo State Coordinate has urged the leadership of APC in Ondo State to look in the direction of the Youth in picking the Deputy Governorship Candidate or they should be prepared to loss majority support of the Youths in Ondo State in the forthcoming Gubernatorial Election slated for November 26.
In a Statement made available to journalists in Akure, the State Capital of Ondo State by the Groups Coordinator Comrade Adebowale Akinlosotu. The group appealed to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to have rethink about the strength and commitment of the Youths as a critical factor in picking the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Party for the forthcoming election in the State.
The group argued that, the voting strength of the Youths in any election is a huge factor which can make any political Party that picks them as the Deputy Governorship Candidate in the race to enjoy the overwhelming support of the youth and which will make victory to come easy, because the commitment, strength and passion of the Youths for the struggle of winning any election cannot be under estimated.
The general position of the youth is that of having somebody of their age grade in the joint ticket will give them the necessary confidence and sense of belonging in government. This will create the necessary synergy that will catalyse youth empowerment.
They opined that Section 47, Clause 1 of the South-Africa Constitution provided that “every citizen who is qualified to vote for the National Assembly is eligible to be a member of the Assembly,” they also advised the federal government to take a cue from this and called on the National Assembly to review the age criterion in the constitution. They maintained that the next deputy governorship candidate should emerge from within the youth wing because only the old men can emerge as the Governor. They noted in their words that our founding fathers, the likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Ladoke Akintola, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr. Nnandi Azikwe left their foot prints in the sands of time by shaping what we have today as Nigeria between the ages of (30-36) years respectively.
"In Nigeria, Gen. Yakubu Gowon became the military Head of State at (32), Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi was (42) when he became the Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo was (39) when he became the Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida was (44) when he became the Head of State, Muritala Mohammed was (37) when he became the Head of State, Bode Thomas was Minister at (31), Anthony Enahoro move the motion for independent at the age of (30), Muhammadu Buhari was Governor at (32) & Minister at (34), Frank Nweke Jr. was Minister at (38), Donald Duke was Governor at (38), Yahaya Bello was Governor at (40), Abdul-Aziz Yari was a Governor at (42) and many more. While in Ghana, Brig. Akwasi Afrifa was (36) when he became the Head of State, Gen. Ignatius Kutu was (41) when he was named Head of State, Lit. Fred Akuffo was (41) when he became the Head of State, Lit. Jerry Rawlings was (32) when he became the Head of State."
It is in this light that a nation like the US continued in its tradition of believe in youths, by giving Barack Obama the mandate to rule. As of the time of his inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the brilliant Obama was only aged (47) years, the US had some other younger people like Theodore Roosevelt (42), John F Kennedy (43), Bill Clinton (46), and Ulysses S. Grant (46).
And while we cannot say that all the young leaders around the world are doing fantastically well, we would agree that the majority of them have caused great changes that stirred their nations towards the positive light. Some of the outstanding young leaders in the world include Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg (41), Matteo Renzi, Prime Minister of Italy (40) Moussa Mara, Prime Minister of Mali (39) Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, Prime Minister of Iceland (39) Charles Michel, Prime Minister of Belgium (39) Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo (39) Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister of Estonia (35); not forgetting the youngest- Kim Jong-Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea (31).
The Groups further noted that the youths generally are very indispensable because a nation without them is in doomed and also called the attention of the National Assembly to the amendment of the constitution to give room for them to be elected since the same power was vested on them to vote for any candidate of their choice.
They also appealed to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to create the needed opportunity for them to be allow to contest at a very tender age so as to be able to learn the institution of government and develop with it, The statement reads.