 to support the aspiration of one of them, Mr Baba Idris to fly the ticket of the party as its Gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general elections.
The group said at a press conference in Ilorin on Friday that “at a precarious time like this when someone with youthful clairvoyance, energy, qualifications, exposure, ideas and orientations is needed to change the tide of governance in the interest of Kwara and Nigeria at large, Baba Idris fills the equation, judging by his age, maturity, intellectual capacity, charisma and political experience.
Addressing Journalists at the NUJ Press Centre, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Coordinator of the group, Abdulrahman Mohammed, noted that there’s no time better than now for the youths to take over power from the aged ones and meaningfully chart a course forward for Kwara and Nigeria at large.
He said the youths today possess the energy, qualifications, exposure, ideas and orientations, even more than some members of the older generation to lead Kwara and Nigeria to the promised land.
According to him, Nigeria requires the creativity, innovation, vibrancy, energy and curiosity that characterizes youthfulness to rescue it from the pervasive socio-economic and political incongruity bedevilling the nation.
The group, frowned at the reluctance of the older generation to vacate the political space which they have held since their youthful days and allow fresh blood to take over from them.
He also queried the attitude of politicians who engage the youths in irrelevant and negative acts such as political supporters, social media engagers, mobilisers or political foot soldiers charged with instigating violence, manipulate elections and intimidate opposing parties.
They expressed worry that the younger generation are not even given the opportunity at the local government level, which is still dominated by those in their 50s, 60s and 70s.
While arguing that young people are critical stakeholders in Kwara and Nigeria’s polity, politics and governance of today, because of how government decisions and actions affect them, the group stressed the need for the youths to take the lead in changing the narratives and save Kwara and Nigeria from its present precarious situation.
The Kwara youth group while appealing for support described Baba Idris as a problem solver and strategist who has recorded remarkable success in his personal and public life.
The group expressed confidence in the aspirants’ influence and connections among the young and old, to be able to relate with the yearnings and aspirations of all classes of Kwarans, and seek solutions as appropriate.
“We are urging the State Leadership of the PDP, and especially the National Leader of the Party, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki to exemplarily demonstrate the workability of the Not Too Young To Run Law in the governance of Kwara State, by considering one of us, Baba Idris, to fly the gubernatorial ticket of the Party in the State for the 2023 general elections.”
They also asked that the ‘Not Too Young To Run Bill, passed by the 8th Senate under Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, be put to work by allowing Baba Idris to take over from the older generation and put the youth potential to use for the transformation of the nation.
“Thank God for the ‘Not Too Young To Run Bill, passed by the 8th Senate under Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki and graciously signed into Law by President Muhammadu Buhari, which gave impetus to the call for the largest chunk of the nation’s population to take over from the older generation, who have demonstrated the best they could.
“We believe it is high time young people are considered for a chance to also demonstrate the best in us.
“It is consequent upon these convictions that our prevailing national travails; socioeconomic, physical and political in Kwara state and Nigeria requires the innovation, curiosity, energy, and creativity of young people to be surmounted, that we are calling on the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to consider one of the best of us, Mr. Baba Idris, who has summoned the courage by showing interest in the gubernatorial ticket of the party.”