Abdullahi Maibasira is the National Youth
Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In this interview, he claims that the defection
of five governors from the PDP has not
weakened the base of the party. He also
expresses confidence that the 2015 elections
will play a vital role in the unity of Nigeria.
Excerpts:
Youths usually play very important role in
the country’s general elections. What is
your plan for the young generation ahead
of the 2015 elections?
I want to begin by saying that we would build
on the President’s election proclamation of
one man, one vote, one woman, one vote and
one youth, one vote. That is the party’s
position as far as election is concerned. I will
also build on the fact that as a patriot, I find it
difficult and personally impossible to
fragment Nigeria across North and South.
What I see is an entire country of active young
men and women who have the capacity to
move forward not only Nigeria but Africa. And
with the necessary policies that the PDP
government has given over the years, private
participation in the economy, we would be
able to utilise the energies of these young
people as asset to the country.
Coming back to your question, we will propose
that 2015 elections should not be an election
that would mar Nigeria’s democracy. It should
be an election that will cement the unity of this
country; it should be a passing phase in the
country’s democracy in terms of choice
available to Nigerians. The PDP as a
government has been able to hold Nigeria’s
democracy for the longest period in Nigeria’s
history. Of course, as a party, we might have
challenges here and there but that does not
(downgrade) the legacy that this party has
been able to build for Nigeria’s democracy. So
we expect 2015 to come and as a party and
national youth leader, we will prepare for it, to
mobilise our base and our youth organisations
will prepare to ensure that the youth base of
the party across the country actively
participate in that election. They should not
subject themselves to any form of violence
before, during and after the elections. They
should not allow themselves to be used as
agents of destruction, disruption or thuggery.
As a party, we are confident that our record
would be able to see us through.
Are you engaging the leadership of PDP to
ensure more participation and inclusion of
youths in government?
As you are aware, the President is very
concerned and interested in the youths and
their affairs. It was the President who, through
his leadership and authority, insists that the
party should have youth leader coming from
among the youth themselves and it is that
same President who is the leader of the party.
And as a member of the National Working
Committee (NWC), we are also looking at the
avenue to further entrench youth within the
party to give them necessary opportunity to
advance their political aspirations. PDP is a
party that accommodates all interests and
persons, irrespective of how we are and where
we come from, in recognition of the fact that
the bulk of Nigeria’s electorate is the youth.
The party will definitely give opportunity for
young people to aspire to positions in their
career posts in 2015.
How do you think PDP will be affected in the
2015 elections following the defection of
some of its key members to the APC?
As a party, we have faced challenges in the past
and these are not new to any democratic
organisation and we have had our turbulent
moment and period. It is our hope that these
challenges will form part of our history that
will further strengthen the foundation of the
party. But as youths, we are also mindful of
these challenges and the present situation
around the party. What I can say is that as
youths of this party, we affirm our unity to an
indivisible PDP and as a major constituency of
this party, we believe in the political activities,
scripture and the guiding principles of this
party. It is our fervent hope and prayer that
these challenges would come to pass. We are
more than confident of the President’s
capacity to handle these challenges and certain
of the roles of the stakeholders, elders and
founding fathers of this party who will, of
course, undertake necessary measures to
reinstall confidence in this party and ensure
that the party is placed on a sound footing. But
what I can assure you is that the youths of this
party are solidly behind PDP and Mr President
as well as the transformation agenda and unity
of this party.
Has the defection of some governors and
members of the National Assembly in any
way affected the youth population of the
party?
The defection has not in any way affected the
population of the youths of this party. In
every part of the country from the reports I
have received from the state youth leaders
across the board, we are yet to see mass
exodus of young people of the party. We are
doing all we can and all that is necessary and
possible to ensure that we maintain the youth
base of the party across the board and of
course, as youths, we will also look forward to
2014 with greater vigour, energy and
confidence ahead of the 2015 general elections.
What is your agenda or plan for the youths
in the coming year?
As the PDP youth leader, our New Year
resolution is that 2014 will be a year of
political action. We are starting and more than
hopeful that by next year, necessary political
activities will begin to pick up and as the youth
wing of the party, we have to catch up with
those activities where necessary and be
proactive for the greater part of next year. It
will be a year of greater interaction with the
youth constituency of this party across the 36
states in the country and the FCT. It is our
hope that by next year, we would convene the
first PDP national youth summit which will
involve all ward youth leaders, zonal, states,
local government youth leaders and all
affiliated youth groups of the party. This
would be the first time the party will be
convening such a congress and it will be used
to energise the youth base of the party for us
to forge a common front in preparation for
2015 general elections. It will also be another
opportunity for us to reflect on our
constraints, challenges and the possibilities of
how we can overcome those constraints and
challenges. It would be an opportunity for us
to sell the party’s agenda and the
transformation agenda of Mr President and
the achievements of the transformation
agenda as well as what we want to achieve as
post 2015 agenda.
What can you say about the 2014 budget
presentation especially on job creation as it
affects the youths of this country?
I have not had the privilege yet of going
through the appropriation bill page by page or
sector by sector but from the name the
President gave the budget, the budget has
been tagged “the budget of job creation, it goes
without saying that the focal direction of the
government would be tailored towards
creating jobs for young people; towards
expanding our economic base; building greater
economic and business infrastructures for the
youths in the country to be able to actively
participate in Nigerian’s economy. Because
when you have jobs, you have social security
and when there is social security you have a
society that will be active and able to
accommodate the vibrant dynamism and
innovation of the young people to fit into the
economy of this country.
By and large, it is obvious from the name the
President has given the budget that 2014
budget would be centred on the youths. This is
a combination of a comprehensive process on
the part of the President and federal
government’s team. If you remember in early
2012, when fuel subsidy was removed, the
proceeds from the removal of subsidy was
channelled into youth empowerment
programmes. That gave birth to YOUWIN,
SURE- P and which are on-going in various
states and, I think, some other projects too in
critical sectors of the economy like the
agriculture which actually still holds about 75
per cent of the country’s GDP has also been
given critical attention. So also is the ICT
programme and, I think, in 2014, it will be a
consolidation of all these programmes. It is
our hope and prayer that jobs would be
created because that is an area where the
youths will definitely get the greatest
dividends of democracy.

2015 hmmmm

Ode what does he know....

hardywaltz: Ode what does he know....

What is this one saying must you abuse people before u comment on a thread ! Guess he knows more than all members of your family combined !!!!