March 18: Coalition Of Youths Groups Back Makinde For Second Term , Pledge To Ensure Free, Fair Elections In Oyo

Bode Akinbode, Ibadan

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s second term bid received another boost as coalition of youths council and other various youths organizations in Oyo state declared their support for the governor who is seeking re-election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the March 18 governorship and state house of assembly elections .

Speaking during a world press conference at the youth House in Ibadan, speaker of the youths parliament in the state, Rt. Hon. Israel Fawole stated that Governor Seyi Makinde deserve another term in office noting that the Governor has done so well for the state in his first term.

Israel said, “Our position is cleared and it’s not ambiguous all the youths structures in the state has come together to declare support for Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde to continue to Omititun 2.0.”

“ I want to state unequivocally that Engr. Seyi Makinde has done excellently well and we the youths in the state under the umbrella of the coalition of the youths council and other groups in the state to state that we are fully in support of His Excellency for the excellent works he has done during his first term, and this is one of the reason we have felt that the inclusion of youths in his programs has actually make better for the state for us to have better outcome and it’s very pertinent that this meeting is holding for us to declare our support for continuity and calling our fellow youths from all the nooks and crannies in the state to support the continuity in the state.” He said.

In his words the convener of the coalition, Chief Olajuwon Adelokun Subar, the Mogaji of Ile nla Anlugbua of Ibadaland, said, “today we’ve gathered here to inform the great people of Oyo state political stakeholders about the newly formed coalition of Oyo state youths, and most specifically to pledge our support to the current administration of the state led by Engr. Seyi Makinde, the coalition is an exciting development that have bring young people from different backgrounds, organizations and groups in the state with the common goals of building better future for our state and to promote the unity and government administrations of the state the youths of the Oyo State are the future of our state.

“So, if you build the youths, you build the nation and if you neglect the youths, the nation will be deformed, we are the ones that will shape the directions of our state and build the society we want to live in, and it’s therefore essential that every administrations in the state invest in the youths, and any individuals who have the power to rule the state does not neglect the voice of the youths and as young people we are the future of the state and we are all eager to contribute to its development and we cannot do this alone, we are banking on the government to achieve our goals.”

“Over the years youths organizations have been working tirelessly to make a positive impacts in their communities through different platforms, all youths organizations ranging from young lawmakers, religion, traditional groups, education and political groups have with their ideologies and selfless services provided solutions to the state challenges and promoted development in all sectors according to INEC reports on 2019 elections, it was recorded that the youths are the most registered voters in Nigeria, and they are set to determine the leadership of Nigeria, also the statistics of the 2023 general elections indicates that the youths are determinants in selecting Nigerian leaders, the elections that took place in the last few weeks have demistified the overating of political leaders in our political system, it has further proven that the key Constituency to an emergence of any candidate in an elections is heavily depended on the youths.”

“We have more than three contenders, we have nine of them and most of them are from Ibadan and they’re representing us well, and they’re all leaders of Ibadanland, the sitting governor has done excellently well, and it is a government that we have to cheer on and supports it’s continuity, we are collaborating with the government to ensure that we have a proper free and fair elections, we are collaborating with the government to ensure that the youths do not participate in thuggery, and disturbance during the election, and we are supporting the current governor, we the coalition of the youths and on behalf of the youths in the state we are in support of the government.” Subar Said.

In his remarks, the state chairman of the youths parliament, Comrade Abdul Salam said, “The coalition of youths groups consist various youths organizations and other various voluntary youths, he noted over 79 voluntary youths organizations and over 300 voluntary youths organizations in the state have worked together to ensure free, fair elections.

He said, youths coalition groups through our various activities from the youths bodies such as Youths campaign against thurggery and electoral malpractices, have in the past engaged the youths, we sensitize them on the reason why they need to participate fully in electioneering processes and at the same time make sure they participate in election and vote for their respective candidates without being influence by anyone or any groups of people to ensure that the right people get to the seat of power and the interest of the youths and the general populace is achieved and a good Governance in the state.