From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

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 A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Golden Star Initiative ,LEAP Africa with partnership with Macarthur foundation and Ford Foundation has took mobilization of youths and women to rural areas in Kebbi State to reduce vote apathy during the general elections.
  The NGO,which is now operating the similar thing in Sokoto,Zamfara and Katsina states, noted that, despite about 42.5 million population of youths registered in the voter’s registration in 2019 general elections,about 28%  of them were said to have came out,voted during the election.
 While addressing this discrepancy during the launching of the advocacy in Birnin Kebbi, the Executive Director of the NGO,Dr. Anas Gussau, explained that,the organisation is coming out to correct the apathy by collaborating with civil society groups, security agencies,IPAC and other stakeholders to mobilize the youths ahead of the election.
 According to him, “the decline is attributed to distrust in the electoral process, inaccuracies in the voter register,poor voter mobilization,threats of violence,bad governance, militarization of election, amongst other factors.
  “The reversal of this trend could be achieved with a political mobilization strategy premised on innovation, inclusion, collaboration,consistency,and context -specific interventions”, he said.
 Gussau ,who disclosed that the youth registration for voter’s cards stood at 50,225,329 out of 93,522,272, said this was against youths participation in 2019 with  12,192,850 in presidential election and 12,670,153 in the Governorship election.
  He said: “The project is set to mobilize young voter’s to register,collect PVCs and vote in the 2023 elections using traditional and non – traditional tools of political mobilization. The project focuses on four states in the Northwest region of Nigeria with low voter registration and PVC rates and ultimately targets increasing voter turnout in Nigeria elections by mobilizing 60% of young registered voters to participate in the electoral process”, he said.
  He added that,the states they operating including Sokoto,Katsina,Kebbi and Zamfara state.
  In his remark,Leader of Coalition of Civil Societies in Kebbi State,Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi Ngaski,linked the voter’s apathy to bad governence and distrust of electoral process by the youths,stressed that,the practical way forward,is for the younger voter’s to collect their PVCs,come out enmass and vote for the right candidates during election.
He should suggested that,the usage of radio and television stations should be adopted in mobilizing the younger voter’s ahead of the 2023 general elections.
  While collaborating the position of other speakers ,the State Chairman of Inter Party Agency Council (IPAC),Mallam Ibrahim Muhammad also agreed that what caused distrust of electoral process by the younger voters and apathy of voting was bad governence and failed promises.
  He noted that,the youngers voter’s should not be discouraged by not collecting their PVCs,rather they should come out enmass to vote massively for the candidates of their choice.
 Earlier,the State Chairperson of FOWAN,Hajia Hauwa Abubakar promised to join forces with the NGO, CSOs and other stakeholders to mobilize young voter’s at the rural areas to change vote apathy in the 2023 general elections in the state.