Major challenges wey dey prevent Nigerians youths from running for office

Published
Read am in 6 mins

Even though former Nigeria president, di late Muhammadu Buhari, sign law wey allow young pipo run for office for 2018, young pipo still dey face different challenges for di kontri politics.

Anytime election dey approach for Nigeria, na youths dey always full campaign areas and political rallies - na dem dey paste posters, spread messages for social media, and dey waka go house to house dey seek votes for candidates.

However, if you check di list of candidates for political office, you go see say veri few young pipo get opportunity to run.

Dis mata don long dey topic of debate among di community, especially since youths na majority for Nigeria.

Skip content and continue reading

End of content

Despite di frequent calls to give young pipo chance for leadership, many of dem still see politics as road wey dey full of difficulty, money, and influence of powerful interests.

Some young pipo get aspirations and visions to bring change to dia communities, but dem dey see serious challenges wey dey stop dem from playing roles for politics.

BBC tok to some young pipo and political scientists to hear dia opinions.

'Na di cost of contesting dey prevent me'

Sani Musa na 37-year-old political activist for Kano State and e tok say e don spend years dey serve politicians for di state witout getting chance to contest, wey be im ultimate goal.

Di young man say e don dey interested in politics since e dey university bicos e believe say youths get role to play to bring progress.

E say e don dey consider to run for council for im area but financial problems stop am.

"Even to apply for party ticket require plenti money. Wen you go meeting, pipo only dey look wetin you get to offer, not wetin you get to say," e tok.

Sani still list oda challenges wey e say dey add to di cost problem.

  • No opportunity to appear for political parties: Some political parties no dey give young pipo chance unless dem get money or connection to stakeholders.
  • Pressure from parents and friends: Di young man say apart from financial problems, some parents and friends believe say politics no fit young pesin wey neva establish imsef or get enough energy, so dem believe say dis young pipo no suppose run for office.

"I too face dis challenge and e really, really affect me," Sani Musa tok.

;Politics na only for pipo wey get godfather'

Maryam Abdullahi, 29, from Niger State for central Nigeria, say she once join party wit intention to run for councillor, but later back out sake of how di political system dey work say you must get godfather wey go stand for you.

"I understand say e no be just about skills or ideas for improvement. Sometimes you need mentor or pipo wey fit lift you up," she tok.

Maryam still add oda problems wey she say dey affect youth politics and dia aspiration to run for office

  • Being woman: Maryam say being woman and young girl make pipo no dey take her serious.
  • Lack of youth representation for high positions: She tok say even though youth be majority for Nigeria, dem no dey often dey for high govment or leadership positions. Na politicians wey don stay long for power dey hold ost political positions.

"Di lack of youth for high positions dey discourage oda youth from entering politics, bicos dem feel say system no dey open door enough for dem," Maryam tok.

  • Violence and security threats: Sometimes politics for Nigeria dey full of conflict, fight between party supporters, or threats from powerful pipo. Dis one dey make many young pipo fear to participate for politics becos of danger.

"Election time especially dey veri volatile for some areas, and e dey make parents discourage dia children from entering politics."

  • Lack of training and understanding of politics: "No be all youths get chance to learn how politics and leadership dey work. Lack of training, guidance and programmes to help dem dey reduce dia chance to participate professionally," Maryam tok.
  • Fear of online harassment: Maryam still add say politics now dey come wit insult and criticism, especially for social media. Some young pipo dey fear to enta politics bicos dem no want make pipo insult dem, defame dem or attack dem online.

Wetin experts tok?

In addition to di tins wey youths list, Professor Abubakar Umar Kari, wey be lecturer for University of Abuja, also share some factors wit di BBC.

  • Big pipo don take ova political parties: Professor Kari say dis one na one of the major problems wey youths dey face, especially for big political parties. According to am, na dis kain pipo get di power to decide who go contest and who no go contest. E explain say dis one dey deny youths fair opportunity to come out and compete, sake of say party system no dey give evribodi equal chance.
  • Lack of internal democracy: Di expert say lack of internal democracy na anoda tin wey dey stop youths from getting opportunity. E say instead make dem allow proper election or fair competition, some leaders just dey impose pipo wey dem want. According to am, most times dis pipo na di ones wey dey loyal to power brokers, not dose wey di public or youths want.
  • Preference for loyalists ova competent pipo: Professor Kari say sometimes pipo no dey consider competence or vision wen dem dey select candidates. E say dem dey prefer pipo wey close to powerful individuals, even wen educated youths dey wey get beta ideas to bring change. E say dis one dey make many youths lose motivation to enta politics.
  • Lack of acceptance of youths voices and ideas: Di academic add say some pipo still dey see youths as inexperienced, even though dem get fresh ideas and energy for change.
  • Young women face more challenges: Di professor say young women dey face more difficulties in politics compared to men. E explain say apart from financial and party system issues, women also face cultural challenges and discrimination from society. E say dis one dey reduce di number of women wey dey interested in contesting for office or holding leadership positions.
  • Use of youths only during campaigns: "Many times, dem dey use youths during election campaigns, but wen time to share positions reach, dem dey push dem aside," Professor Kari tok.

Solution

Nigerian youths don continue to show desire for political change, but dem still dey face serious challenges wey dey stop dem from fully participating for politics.

Despite many promises to give young pipo opportunities, dem still dey feel like dem dey left behind.

And as di 2027 general elections season dey approach, experts like Professor Kari dey call say make dem give youths more opportunities sake of say na dem be di leaders of tomorrow. However, e say some tins gatz to dey put in place like;

  • Make dem dey do real democracy inside party
  • Make dem dey trust wetin young pipo dey tok and wetin dem want achieve
  • Make dem value skill and knowledge pass money or pesin wey dem sabi
  • Make young pipo stop to dey use diasefs as political thugs