Former Vice President has voiced deep concern over the mounting discontent among Nigerian youths, which stems from the state of governance and economic hardship in the country.
Meeting with Northern Youths
In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Atiku recounted a meeting with a group of young people from across the 19 northern states, led by Alhaji Adamu Bappa Gombe.
- Core Grievances: The youths conveyed their frustrations regarding fraudulent elections and the resulting economic difficulties.
- Impact of Policies: They expressed worry that their votes do not count and that poor governance and policies are severely impacting their standard of living and private businesses.
- Atiku’s Sentiment: Atiku stated, “Every time they come to have a conversation with me about bad governance, fraudulent elections, and resultant hardship being faced by citizens, I deeply feel sad about the situation.”
Encouragement and Challenge
In response to the youths’ concerns, Atiku offered encouragement while emphasizing the critical role of electoral participation:
- Hope in the Ballot: He urged them “not to give up,” stressing that the change they desire “can only come through the ballot.”
- Mobilization Challenge: Atiku challenged the youths to mobilize their peers and actively participate in the process of leadership recruitment through elections.
- Combating Apathy: He specifically noted that a 25% to 30% voter turnout is “not encouraging” and challenged them to “make a huge difference by influencing massive participation in 2027.”
Commitment to Democracy
Atiku also reiterated his personal commitment to the struggle for democratic integrity, stating, “On our part, we shall not relent until Nigeria is recovered from anti-democratic forces.”
The former Vice President, who served from 1999 to 2007, has recently joined the African Democratic Congress alongside his former rival Peter Obi, a move reportedly aimed at forming a united opposition front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
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