Ahead of the 2023 general elections, non-profit, the Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) has urged Nigerian youths to vote competent leaders and not sell their integrity.

The Executive Director, Dr. Tunji Idowu said this during a one-day breakfast mentorship programme organized in collaboration with Beyond Regular and MTN in Port Harcourt

Idowu while speaking with 320 young professionals at the programme urged the youths not to sell their integrity in the course of their various endeavours, especially as the country is entering a period when new leaders would be elected to public offices.

"The Nigerian youths should not sell their integrity, but every human being that wants to maintain their dignity needs to uphold their integrity. But to the Nigerian youths is to say hey! Those of us ahead of you have messed things up, and don't follow their example of going the path of lack of integrity.

"Elections are coming, don't become tools that are going to be used to worsen an already bad situation, make sure that you have criteria for due diligence, even if people come and share money, find a way in which you are doing things according to values,” he said.

Explaining the reason behind the event, Idowu said, "The event was organised by Unboxed Conferences to give young people the opportunity of being mentored by seasoned professionals, some of whom would never have access to the organisers on their terms.

Idowu disclosed that PIND Foundation has the intention to empower 6,000 Niger Delta youths in business and skills acquisitions before the end of the year.

"In the pilot we did in Abia, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states, we trained over 4,300 youths. We are scaling that up with an additional 1000 because the essence of the pilot is to understand what works and what you can improve or what you do away with, it's been a successful pilot, we're now scaling it up again with another 1000 in those three states, while in Delta, we are taking on over 600.

"So what I'm saying is, when you count from the three years from 2018 going forward, the additional 1600, you will have about 6000 that have been trained, placed, supported to start businesses, not all of them because they have different pathways, some with work, some will be job owners, some will be business starters," he said.

On his part, the Chief Responsibility Officer for Unboxed Conferences, Wale Adenuga, who expressed excitement over the turnout of the participants and mentors from different works of life, noted that his conviction to helping the youths succeed informed the programme.

"We are happy in terms of the turnout, all the mentors are here, the young people are also here, and we think it's going to be a great learning experience, especially between the mentors and the mentees, they (mentors) have learnt a whole lot of things over their lives, so this opportunity, connecting together is an amazing experience for everyone.

"I think for me it's basically my own personal story, probably how I failed in the past, I believe in practical knowledge, I believe in being held by the hand and shown the way and that's exactly what this is all about and I will keep doing that until my dying day," he said.