A PRESS RELEASE BY THE CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL
YOUTH MOVEMENT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW (NYMCR), LAI LABODE
PROTOCOL
INTRODUCTION
Nigerian youths constitute
the biggest segment of the Nigerian population. More than 60% of the Nigerian
populace is made up of young people. In a recent study conducted by the British
Council, Nigerian youths were described as the biggest resource available to
Nigeria. The historical roles of Nigerian youths in national emancipation and
nation building are well documented.
The bulk of Nigeria’s founding fathers;
Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, Joseph Tarka,
Matthew Mbu, Michael Imoudu, Anthony Enahoro, Michael Okpara, T.O.S. Benson,
Aminu Kano, Funmilayo Kuti, Festus Okotie Eboh, Nwafor Orizu, and a host of
others, were young people when they took up leadership responsibilities
especially in relation to the struggle against colonialism.
Upon the attainment
of independence, Nigerian youths formed the crop of the emerging national
leadership; in the federal parliament, federal executive council, regional
assemblies and local councils. The bourgeoning Nigerian public service was also
populated by vibrant, dedicated and resourceful young men and women who became
the active drivers for national development. The impact of this generation of
young leaders was almost instantaneous as Nigeria, without crude oil, was rated
as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. That is the power of
youth.
Upon the truncation of the
first republic by the military, the top brass of the emerging authoritarian
leadership were also largely populated by young people. General Yakubu Gowon,
the second military head of state was barely 28 years when he assumed the rein of
leadership. Given the exclusivist nature of authoritarian rule, the fortunes of
young people in Nigeria began to assume monumental slide with successive
military regimes.
The constitutional processes that preceded the return to
civilian rule in the second republic were without specific agenda for young
people. The implication was the relegation of young people to the background in
terms of political representation and protection of their socio-economic
rights. The third republic did not fare any better with regards to youth
inclusion in the socio-economic and governance processes in Nigeria, thus
bequeathing a legacy of youth disempowerment. The result of the exclusion of
the largest, most dynamic and active segment of Nigeria’s population from the
socio-economic and governance process has translated into high rates of
unemployment, poverty, crime, illiteracy, violence, and a host of other social
ills.
NIGERIAN
YOUTHS TODAY
Currently,
Nigerian youths are without voice, power and representation in Nigeria’s
socio-economic and political landscape. The fate of Nigerian youths is worsened
by the collapse of Nigeria’s social support structures. The malaise of fraud,
imposition and violence in Nigeria’s electoral sector only compounds the
challenges of political exclusion, economic strangulation and social
debilitation already faced by Nigerian youths.
Hopes were raised that some of these concerns would be addressed during
the 2005 constitutional review process. That was not to be. The last
constitutional reform process did not fare any better. Yet, youth issues have
continued to confront the country especially given the current high rate of
crime, violence and most recently terrorism in Nigeria.
At the recent Senate
Retreat on Constitutional Review held in Asaba, Delta State, youth issues were
again relegated to the background. Even at the citing of disadvantaged groups,
youths hardly got a mention. This scenario amply confirms that Nigerian youths
are not only disadvantaged but have also become an endangered demographic
specie.
The
fact that there is no specific provision in the current agenda for
constitutional amendment for the youths and other disadvantaged groups, apart
from the proposal to remove the National Youths Service Act from the
constitution, clearly demonstrates that Nigeria’s political establishment is
yet to fully appreciate the crucial place and role of youths in Nigeria’s
democratic process. It also shows a disconnect between the aspirations of
Nigerian youths and the pursuit of democratization in Nigeria.
Participation is
a key component of democracy and palls of doubts abounds on the sustainability
of a democratic process that continues to exclude its youths from the
mainstream of national life.
In
view of the fore-going and in response to the need of Nigerian youths for
constitutional recognition, protection and creation of an enabling environment,
young people in Nigeria, under the auspices of National Youth Movement on
Constitutional Review, propose the
following amendments to the 1999 Constitution (as amended);
OUR
DEMANDS
- Youth Affirmative Action (Definition of Youth, Full Franchise for Youths, Youth Quota for Political Representation at all levels of Political Leadership)
Nigerian youths seek constitutional recognition
and protection and so demand Constitutional definition of who a youth is. This
should take into cognizance the definition of youth in the National Youth
Policy, “any person between ages 18-35”.
This has become crucial given denial of opportunities accruable to young persons
by persons who are anything but youths. The recent election of a 65 year old
man as Youth leader of one of the leading political parties in Nigeria readily
comes to mind. Nigerian youths also demand youth quota for political
representation at all levels of political leadership. In this light, Nigerian
youths demand for proportional representation that includes young persons
between ages 18-35. This has become imperative given the challenges faced by
Nigerian youths with relation to constriction of the political space in Nigeria
by increasing demographic discrimination, unwieldy campaign budgets, and a
growing culture of gerontocracy. Furthermore, in order to fully realize the
political potentials of young people in Nigeria, Nigerian youths demand the
removal of age limits on all political offices in Nigeria. This is morally
imperative given that franchise confers both the right to vote and the right to
be voted for.
- Guarantee of Socio-economic rights of Nigerian youths through justiceability of Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and relevant reform of the budgetary/appropriation process.
Nigerian youths believe that their socio-economic
and political rights can only be guaranteed if the provision of Chapter 2 of
the 1999 Constitution (as amended) are made justiceable or legally enforceable.
This will make governments at all levels more conscious of their duties to
provide basic services to the population of which the youths constitute the
majority. Nigerian youths also demand a constitutional provision for
appropriation benchmarking in order to make Nigerian budgets performance based
and capable of serving as a veritable means of delivering the dividends of
democracy.
- Improved Administration of Sovereignty through far reaching Reform of the Electoral Space (Political Independence for INEC, Proportional Representation, Independent Candidacy)
In order to create a conducive environment for
young people in Nigeria to realize their political potentials, Nigerian youths
demand an improved administration of the sovereignty of Nigerians through
deeper and holistic reform of Nigeria’s electoral space. In pursuance of this,
we demand political independence for INEC especially with regards to the
appointment of INEC Chairman and National Commissioners. This will help make
INEC not only an independent electoral arbiter but also to be seen as such.
Furthermore, Nigerian youths demand for independent candidacy. This is to
increase options available to youths outside political parties.
- Local Government Reform (Full Autonomy for the Third Tier of Government)
The Local Governments offer immense
socio-economic and political opportunities for young persons since most young
people are more familiar with governance at the grassroots. Unfortunately, the
third tier of government in Nigeria has been hijacked by most state governments
to the extent that political participation and developmental aspirations are
virtually non-existent in most local governments in Nigeria. Nigerian youths
demand relevant constitutional amendment to grant full autonomy to the Local
Governments especially with regards to statutory allocations, abrogation of
joint state-local government accounts and compulsory elections into local
councils as at when due.
- Financial Autonomy for State Houses of Assembly (First Line Charge for State Legislature)
Nigerian
youths demand for financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly in order to
enable State legislatures play their constitutional role of checks and balances
more effectively.
Last
Word:
Nigerian youths refuse to
accept a situation where youth issues are perennially treated as an after-thought.
If Nigerian decision makers are always willing to dialogue with youths who have
carried arms against the state, it only becomes morally imperative for the State
to pay close attention to youths who believe that their issues can be addressed
without resort to violence. To make Nigerian Constitution sustainable, the 1999
Constitution must be made youth friendly.
Thank you for lending me
your time and ears. May God bless Nigeria!
Lai Labode,
Chairman, NYMCR
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