By Inioribo Tamunotonye

Come August 17, 2016 People’s Democratic Party’s delegates from the six geopolitical zones will troop to Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers state to elect their National leaders to serve in the 21 offices within the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Already, some heavyweights have signified interests in various positions even before the release and adoption of the Zoning Committee arrangement. That is a story for another day.

Among all 21 positions, the offices of National Chairman, National Publicity Secretary (NPS), National Youth Leader (NYL), Deputy National Publicity Secretary(DNPS), and Deputy National Youth Leader(DNYL), are of great concern to me as an individual, a youth and a strong campaigner and promoter for an independent #PDPOnlineDirectorate across all level of the party i.e. National, Zonal and States levels.

A CASE FOR THE YOUTHS
While the African Charter and Nigeria Youth Policy define youths as a group of people within the age bracket of 18 to 35, political leaders seem to have another definition of Youths. In fact, the PDP in 2012 appointed a 60year old Malam Umar Garba Chiza as National Youth Leader of the party, though it would later settle for 30 years old Abdulahi Maibasira for the position in 2013, the ruling party as at then would later appoint a 57 years old Boni Haruna as “Youth Minister” the following year contrary to the Nigeria definition of “youth”. Even the appointment of former youth leader Abdul Maibasira was done by same party elders and not the youths he was supposed to represent.

The case is not different from the ruling APC. The APC in 2014 appointed a 44-years old Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo-Waziri as NYL, and in 2015 the government of Buhari appointed a 52-years old Solomon Dalung as “Youth Minister”, meanwhile the party was promoted and voted to power by young people that utilised the power of social Media.

A PARADIGM SHIFT
In the past, when candidates declares for positions under the party, young people out of either sentiment, passion or relationships with candidates take to their devices loaded with data to solicit, defend, and campaign for votes for/on behalf of their candidates. Successful candidates assumes office, he liaise with Governors, Senators, Ministers, Party Elders and even former office holders under their respective organ, in order to capture their interest within the party system.

However, the young guns within the party that are touted as “Next Generation Leaders” are not considered in the scheme of things. Party leadership carries on without causing change in the system to favor the general youth population. The only positions reserved for “Youths” are the offices of National Youth Leader and Deputy National Youth leader. Even these positions are hardly occupied by Youths nor decided by Youths within the party, the same group they were supposed to represent.

With no youth wing in Nigeria political parties, some young people across different social media platforms on July 20 kicked off the campaign for an independent #PDPOnlineDirectorate within the party and at ALL levels, because it is incontestable that the online platform is the only tool the youths control, and an independent directorate controlled by, and decided by the youths is a good step in the right direction. The advocacy is not restricted to the online directorate but also a demand of 20% slot in all party appointments, election tickets at all level, after due consultation with members of the online wing that controls the directorate. This is to append a future for young people and allow for opportunities for political growth.

Therefore, instead of the tradition of sticking neck for contestants for various offices within the 21-member NWC of the party, specifically, the offices of National Chairman, NPS, NYL, DNPS, and DNYL, young people through the online community MUST extract commitments from candidates running for the aforementioned offices to ensure the implementation of #PDPOnlineDirectorate at all levels of the party.

It is even a shame that in 2016, we are still deep-neck into finding a footing for Youths in politics when South Africa, India, USA, Hong Kong, Brazil etc not only have well-structured Youth(and student) Wing, but are also parading youthful party leaders like Joshua Wong, the 19 years old General Secretary of Hong Kong’s opposition Demosistō party; Mmusi Maimane, the leader of South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance, who became his party’s National Spokesman at 31 and elected Party leader at 35 in 2015; Mr Julius Malema, the leader of South Africa opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, who assumed the position at age 33 in 20More in the United States, Matt More of South Carolina was appointed State Chairman of Republican party at the age of 31 in 2013. The list is endless. It is only in Nigeria that people refers to 50-60 years old as “youthful” and “future” Presidents.

I implore ALL PDP young supporters and members of online community to see this campaign for a #PDPOnlineDirectorate as a collective responsibility for our political future. I appeal to young people in other parties to join hands with us in causing a change in the system. Nobody will be youths forever; hence, we must use our time to create a sustainable legacy for those behind us.

I commend Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the PDP for pledging support for the #PDPOnlineDirectorate, while implore others to take a cue from the oil rich state.

Finally, I want to reiterate and appeal to the youths to only endorse candidates that would pledge to recognize their structure in the system. Anything short of this should be NO DEAL!!!




May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria! May God Bless Young People of Nigeria!!!

Power To The People


Inioribo Tamunotonye alias Tonyebarcanista, a strong campaigner for #PDPOnlineDirectorate wrote from Abuja.

SOURCE: http://swiftreporters.com/pdp-national-convention-and-the-future-of-nigeria-youths/

PDP is DEAD, no convention will bring back the satanic party alive.

APC ti take over.

madridguy:
PDP is DEAD, no convention will bring back the satanic party alive.

APC ti take over.

Obviously, you didn't bother to read the post... Nigerian youth

madridguy:
PDP is DEAD, no convention will bring back the satanic party alive.

APC ti take over.

Keep calm and watch PDP take over come 2019.

You mean I should waste my time reading Pigdeepig article? You funny sha!

TonyeBarcanista:
Obviously, you didn't bother to read the post... Nigerian youth

We the youths are here to resurrect the party. Jst wait n see...

madridguy:
PDP is DEAD, no convention will bring back the satanic party alive.

APC ti take over.

All PDP youths should join this campaign..... it's not about an individual.

You be confirm comedy not comedian.

Dcomrade:

Keep calm and watch PDP take over come 2019.

madridguy:
You mean I should waste my time reading Pigdeepig article? You funny sha!

Unfirtunately, you would have understood that the article is not about PDP but a case for young people to be part of leadership

While the African Charter and Nigeria Youth Policy define youths as a group of people within the age bracket of 18 to 35, political leaders seem to have another definition of Youths. In fact, the PDP in 2012 appointed a 60year old Malam Umar Garba Chiza as National Youth Leader of the party, though it would later settle for 30 years old Abdulahi Maibasira for the position in 2013, the ruling party as at then would later appoint a 57 years old Boni Haruna as “Youth Minister” the following year contrary to the Nigeria definition of “youth”. Even the appointment of former youth leader Abdul Maibasira was done by same party elders and not the youths he was supposed to represent.

The case is not different from the ruling APC. The APC in 2014 appointed a 44-years old Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo-Waziri as NYL, and in 2015 the government of Buhari appointed a 52-years old Solomon Dalung as “Youth Minister”, meanwhile the party was promoted and voted to power by young people that utilised the power of social Media.

madridguy:
You mean I should waste my time reading Pigdeepig article? You funny sha!

Yet you wasted your so called precious time commenting..... common sense is not common to some people

okay

Why don't you implore Nigerian youth instead of pdp youth? Redirect your article to Nigerian youth and let see if I will not concur with you.

Allah Hafiz.

TonyeBarcanista:
Unfirtunately, you would have understood that the article is not about PDP but a case for young people to be part of leadership

Every lover of d party must join this movement...

Dcomrade:
All PDP youths should join this campaign..... it's not about an individual.

madridguy:
You be confirm comedy not comedian.

SMH .......seriously this is not just PDP issue alone, even in your saint party ' APC' , you people should clamor for same. Enough of sidon look for the youths.

Dcomrade:
All PDP youths should join this campaign..... it's not about an individual.

Exactly, this is not about an individual person or a minute group, it is about a group of people that are endangered

Yes, that is why I said the article should be directed to Youth generally.

Dcomrade:

SMH .......seriously this is not just PDP issue alone, even in your saint party ' APC' , you people should clamor for same. Enough of sidon look for the youths.

I implore ALL PDP young supporters and members of online community to see this campaign for a #PDPOnlineDirectorate as a collective responsibility for our political future. I appeal to young people in other parties to join hands with us in causing a change in the system. Nobody will be youths forever; hence, we must use our time to create a sustainable legacy for those behind us.

madridguy:
Why don't you implore Nigerian youth instead of pdp youth? Redirect your article to Nigerian youth and let see if I will not concur with you.

Allah Hafiz.

Hafiz, I will advise you to READ before making comments so as not to make misguided comments. If you have read, you would have seen this

I implore ALL PDP young supporters and members of online community to see this campaign for a #PDPOnlineDirectorate as a collective responsibility for our political future. I appeal to young people in other parties to join hands with us in causing a change in the system. Nobody will be youths forever; hence, we must use our time to create a sustainable legacy for those behind us.

Beside, the title talked about NIGERIA YOUTHS not PDP Youths alone.

madridguy:
Yes, that is why I said the article should be directed to Youth generally.

It's a wake up call to all....

Nice One

There is no future for the PDP. The PDP will die before 2019, and out with the garbage the likes of you, dokpesi and the BOT fools, will all go. Out of the ashes, like a Phoenix, a new national moderate-conservative party will be arise. That is the future and you with the expired BOT, are simply the forgotten past.

iflywithbuhari:
There is no future for the PDP. The PDP will die before 2019, and out with the garbage the likes of you, dokpesi and the BOT fools, will all go. Out of the ashes, like a Phoenix, a new national moderate-conservative party will be arise. That is the future and you with the expired BOT, are simply the forgotten past.

Why you so pained bro?

iflywithbuhari:
There is no future for the PDP. The PDP will die before 2019, and out with the garbage the likes of you, dokpesi and the BOT fools, will all go. Out of the ashes, like a Phoenix, a new national moderate-conservative party will be arise. That is the future and you with the expired BOT, are simply the forgotten past.

Man why not continue to fly-With-Buhari and leave PDP to do there convention.

You will all be alive to see PDP growing stronger. Unless you've FLY-WITH-BUHARI to the SKY

PDP needs the help of #PDPOnlineDirectorate to reach out to the youths!

engineerboat:

Man why not continue to fly-With-Buhari and leave PDP to do there convention.
You will all be alive to see PDP growing stronger. Unless you've FLY-WITH-BUHARI to the SKY

Ignore the dude.. he only seeks attention

Ain ain ain

Modified
To say the truth I've lost interest in whatever the youths of this country think. The earlier we admit our folly the better. I don't see any difference between the e-warriors and those who break bottles about for politicians. In the past week, a number of our politicians' children graduated from foreign universities with good grades, what does that tell us? And here we are always fighting on their behalf. They send their children to choice schools abroad while we struggle to obtain a degree which has virtually become so useless. We can't even get good jobs with our so-called certificates as the few goood jobs are reserved for their children who graduated abroad. Insecurity is on the increase, crime has sky-rocketed, life and living has become harder, the economy is in total shambles and surviving is now harder than rocket science yet our youths are more concerned about what's going on between two foolish adults in Remi Tinubu and Dino Melaye taking sides with the two sparring partners. They are more concerned with who wore it better between GEJ and PMB. Gosh! It sucks to be a Nigerian youth, I'm not exonerating myself, we all need to do a self-appraisal. We are not yet equipped to lead, you can't improve your nation without first of all improving yourself. I'm tempted to say we have been subjugated for life unless we rise up and change the status quo. If the old men we see today leave the stage, their kids are ready (and have been groomed) to take over and lord it over our children. Some of the men we see today, their fathers were their lording it over everybody yesterday and their kids are ready to do it over us and our children tomorrow. We should stop all these silly APC/PDP division over those who don't even give a hoot over our existence.
An old catholic priest was stabbed to death by suspected terrorists in France and the president had to cancel a trip to Prague, Czech Rep because of that while (just one person o) while our own presidential spokesmen will always remind us that the president cannot respond to every attack. I'm fed up.

TonyeBarcanista:

While majority young people spend resources to install Buhari, APC and Buhari took what belongs to the "youths" to give to their own kind of yoot.
APC NYL is 45, Youth Minister is 52, but youth age in Nigeria is 18-35. Doesn't that give you a cause of concern?

Bekwarra:
Ain ain ain

It's not just Ain.

It's a Clarion call for all Youth to rise up and say ENOUGH-IS-ENOUGH

engineerboat:

It's not just Ain.
It's a Clarion call for all Youth to rise up and say ENOUGH-IS-ENOUGH

What is Ain?

TonyeBarcanista:

What is Ain?

........

madridguy:
Why don't you implore Nigerian youth instead of pdp youth? Redirect your article to Nigerian youth and let see if I will not concur with you.

Allah Hafiz.

Many are indeed mad but few are roaming. my brother hope you are enjoying your change

engineerboat:

Disbelief, not real, and cannot happen

Ooops so how does it relate with the subject?

The way PDP will rise and conquer the political landscape in 2019 will be like a dream to many people. some will die, some will kick rubber bucket, some will have high blood pressure, frustration will kill some people and so many other things.
As far as I'm concerned PDP is the only party still holding this country together. if not dis country for don't fall press dat match stick were dey Abuja and uncle of the night in Lagos.

N.B : if you have no important tin to say, I beg in d name of God nor quote or u nor go like ur destiny..