It’s been quite interesting seeing so many young Nigerians below the age of 50 showing the interest in being the number one citizen of the country come 2019. While this is commendable, there’s however, a difference between doing the right things and doing things right. While doing the right things means taking the right actions, doing things right not only involves taking the right actions, but also taking the actions at the right time, within an adequate timeline and using the appropriate approach(es).

Running a marathon like a sprint wouldn’t win such a race. Using the wrong approach for the right thing is a failure ab initio. It’s a very good thing that the Nigerian youths are now being sensitized and are ready to take the bull by the horns in taking active part in national politics. But, what’s the ends in all of this? Is it about turning the table round from the old people to the young or overhauling and changing the political system to the one that can deliver a sustainable development? With the approach being used by most, if not all of those showing their interests and the timeline they set for themselves, it seems they are only out to test their popularity, and not really prepared for the task of salvaging the country.

In any country, election is won on the appropriate platform. A Barack Obama wouldn’t have being a POTUS if he had decided to contest under any party other than the Democrats or the Republicans. I doubt if a Justin Trudeau would have had a slim chance of being the Canadian PM, if he had come out under any party other than either the Liberal or the Progressive Conservatives.

It took an Emmanuel Macron having served in a major party and building up En Marche from the grassroots for him to win a presidential election. It took Bola Tinubu et al forming an alliance and scheming a division in the PDP for them to win the presidential seat and make APC become the ruling party. If Bola Tinubu had contested under another party other than the AD during the 1999 election, he wouldn’t have had the chance of being the governor of Lagos state, despite having being a senator before; the powers that be in Lagos then were in that party. He was wise enough to use them to get the seat and later used the youths to displace them and take over the leadership.

As it stands at the present, the race for the presidential seat and for most of the political seats in the country is between the APC and the PDP, with the APGA and the ANRP having some chances in few states. It would have been more interesting and better if the youths, especially those aspiring for the political posts now and their followers had infiltrated the major political parties from the grassroots,at least since after the 2015 election. That way they would have been able to influence who the parties present as their candidates for the various posts.

Elections aren’t won on the social media, but by a strong political structure from the grassroots. More so, the major political parties apart from having the strong political structures, also have more resources at their disposal to engage in social media battles and propaganda, which are all part of politics.

The LG chairmen and the House of Assembly aspirants/ members win the election for their state governors; the same way the governors and the NASS aspirants strive to win the election for their president. The reason being that no one knows an area too well as the locals.

It would also have been better if all the new young aspirants and many more had focused more on the National Assembly and the State House of Assemblies instead of chasing a shadow in the presidential race or any executive positions, other than a local government chairman. Have they imagined how the scenario would look like with a Sowore Omoyele or a Fola Durotoye or an Ahmed Buhari as the president while the NASS still comprises of bro Bukky et al? I doubt if the story will be any different.

However, a system with even baba bubu, but well meaning and vibrant youths in the NASS will produce the desired goal. In a presidential system with division of powers and checks and balances between the various arms of government like ours, a thorough political overhaul starts from the constitution, and the legislature is key in achieving this.

A bad legislative arm can frustrate and even impeach the best of president, if he doesn’t have good political support, a good legislative arm can influence and force the worst of president to perform well or rather impeach him or force him to resign if he doesn’t want to perform well.

It’s a good thing having the likes of SO, FD, Ahmed B, and even a jester like Monica from Netherlands showing interest in national politics. However, with all their attentions just being placed in displacing an ‘old’ Buhari, and for them just coming out just few months to the 2019 election under parties with no grassroot political structure, I see them as just chasing shadows or testing their popularity on a wrong terrain.

I doubt if a Bola Tinubu with his strong hold over the Southwest can win the presidential race if he contests under the old ACN. Even the likes of chief Ojukwu, Gani Fawehinmi, and Buhari under his old parties couldn’t. A Yoruba adage quotes “ bi owo eni ko ba ti te eeku ida, a ki n bere iku to pa baba eni” ( you can’t avenge your father’s death until you have the wherewithal to do so). Before the youths can take over power, they first have to take over political parties structures and leadership.

It will make more sense if the youth can get about 60-70% of the NASS within 8-12 years, then we can focus on the presidential seat. Truth be told Fela Durotoye and others have very slim chances of winning. Like OP said they just want to test their popularity. They'll be swept aside quite easily.