Raphael Ede, Enugu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has charged Nigerian youths to get registered with political parties to take over power and ensure accountability and good governance in Nigeria.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Mr Emeka Ononamadu, gave the advise, on Sunday, at a youth Forum tagged: “#YouthDecide2019” held, in Enugu.

Ononamadu said that youths should not sit at home and criticize leaders; when their impact in enshrining good governance can be achieved with their numerical strength, urged them to get registered and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to participate actively in the nation’s electoral process.

“My advice to Nigerian youths is to register with political parties of their choice and ensure that the right thing especially the principles of internal democracy and fairness are enshrined in their political parties.

“If the Nigeria youths must stand up and be counted while making a difference in our national polity; youths must stand up and unite to ensure that the right thing and right people are supported in political parties.

“You can even bring in bright ideas that will make your party of choice move forward and bring progress in the entire country electoral-wise,” he said.

The REC said that INEC would continue to hold regular inter-face and meetings with various stakeholders in order to prepare electoral process for a hitch-free 2019 General Elections.

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In his remark, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ebere Amaraizu, advised youths to participate actively in societal and community endeavors by ensuring that they do positive things to promote the country.

Amaraizu said the youths should use their numeric strength to influence what political parties do and how political parties are run in order to enshrine quality and positive political representation.

“The days of thuggery and other violent malpractices during elections is over.

“So you as a youth, you must add value to yourself for people to see your worth and believe in the ideology and passion you have and pursue”.
Earlier, the convener of #YouthDecide2019, Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, said that the essence of the forum was to sensitize youths on the enormous power they have to decide what would happen in the political space come 2019 General Elections.

“The forum seeks to bring youths of various backgrounds, learning and schools together to have a voice and platform to shape the polity of the country for the better.

“It is also meant to teach them the need to participate and follow development in their environment and not to sit at the fence or have it does not concern me attitude,” Okenwa said.

The forum, which next episode will hold in Port Harcourt in April, was attended by over 2,000 youths within and outside Enugu.