Saraki asks youths to mobilise, take ownership of 2023 general election

Former President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on young Nigerians to take ownership of the project to elect leaders that share their values ahead of the 2023 general election.

Speaking at a luncheon to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence Day at his Abuja residence, Saraki emphasized that young people can determine the direction of the nation if they work together.

He advised young political aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, young aspirants who have contested in previous elections for political and party offices, political analysts and strategists to mobilize themselves ahead of the 2023 general election.

He noted that in 2019, the current ruling All Progressives Congress won by about 4 million votes and there are still up to 18 million unregistered youth voters.

He said, ‘Until you, young people take it upon yourselves to say ‘what kind of Governor do I want’; ‘what kind of Senator do I want? or ‘what kind of President do I want’, things will not change.

“If you take charge and ownership of this entire process, when you get the right type of President who has been voted in by you and knows that you have the numbers and capacity to vote him out, he will pick more young people like you when he picks his cabinet.

“At the end of the day, this is how it works as you go down the line. This is why you must take ownership of this process to show our generation that you are ready and serious about deciding the direction of Nigeria,” the former President of the Senate said.

“If you look at the numbers, they work in your favour. Even if you can register just half of the 18 million unregistered youth voters that are between 18 and 35, your voting bloc will decide everything,” Saraki added.