NIGERIAN YOUTH AGENDA ON POLITICAL PARTICIPATION As part of effort to inform young people on their role in democratic governance, Eagle Builders Foundation, a youth-based NGO has deem it necessary to sensitize Nigerian youth, political party and political stakeholders on what is expected of them especially in the build-up for 2015. POLITICAL PARTY STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE When youth and youth organizations are neither consulted nor included in the policy-making process, their needs are likely to be ignored or insufficiently addressed. The exclusion of youth from policy-making processes and power structures, whether deliberate or unintentional, can create significant tensions in society which can manifest itself in forms that represent a serious threat to the social fabric, such as crime and violence. Youths reecho the need for political parties to reform their ideological base and make political party attractive to underrepresented groups in Nigeria. In view of this, political parties and public office holders should adhere to the following: 1. The youth wing of political parties shall be properly institutionalized with a strong regulatory framework and elected leadership. 2. Political parties should ensure strict adherence to structural requirements that reflect equitable youth representation and conforms with the principles of internal party democracy as enshrined in section 87 of the Electoral Act (2010) and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 3. Mentoring youths in political party leadership structure: Parties should develop a mentorship mechanism in line with party ideology, policies and programs. Such mentorship programs should focus on building the leadership competency of young people. A nation that does not provide a link between its current leaders and its future leaders risk the chance of planning gore its demise. 4. Political party membership mobilization: Political parties should deploy technology and news media in undertaking periodic mobilization of young people as members of their party. 5. Political parties should have laid down procedures for sanctioning party members that recruit young people for thuggery and electoral violence. 6. Creation and promotion of political partys associations, clubs, societies in tertiary institutions to promote democratic culture and political socialization. 7. Political parties must comply with provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 in the conduct of party primaries. 8. Political parties in their manifested should articulate socio-economic empowerment agenda for young people as captured in the National Youth Policy and other policy instruments seek to address the socio-economic needs of young people. With the following, youth will have a say in how they play a role in political mainstreaming. Please join us to give this information the publicity it deserves.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:51:53 +0000