Barr. Anthony Ehilebo, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, head of New Media and one of the leading aspirants for the Edo State House of Assembly has admonished Nigerian youths to engage in grassroots politics that will affect the lives of the ordinary people as against going after politics that will benefit just them and their family members.
The PDP Chieftain in a chat with DAILY POST said the younger generation of Nigerians should stop chasing politics ultimately for financial gains but must play politics that will have their names written in gold.
According to him, the old way of politicking must be stopped for a new era to emerge, believing that the new order will come only if the youths are willing to change things for the better.
Speaking to DAILY POST on the sideline of his meeting with political party’s delegates, Ehilebo who is contesting for the Assembly seat to represent Igueben State Constituency, appealed to delegates, to consider certain factors in making their choices.
He said: “Yes, we have to start politics from home because it amounts to nothing if we fail to be in touch with the real people at the grassroots. No matter our relevance at the national level, our thinking should always be on how we can affect the lives of our people.
“lf younger politicians come to terms with the idea that politics should actually be about the ordinary people, then we can have a change.
According to him, politics is similar to education as people should be able to move from one class to another before becoming an authority in the field.
He said: “Once you are in that school, you will learn all you need to know under the democracy that we practice. You will observe and feel the pain, the joy, and the suffering of the ordinary people.
“It doesn’t make sense for someone who has no political experience to begin to run for an office at the national level. It will amount to the same issue we have been trying to solve for years.
While appealing to delegates to make their political choice based on the experience of political actors, Ehilebo said, “ Some of us have the requisite experience to work for the people because of our past political experience and that is key to the delegates.”