UNDP, Yiaga Africa Move To Mobilise Young Voters

TUnited Nations Development Programme ( UNDP) and Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement ( YIAGA) Africa, yesterday, sealed a partnership for a project that seeks to mobilise not less than 60 per cent of eligible young voters towards the 2023 general elections.

The project, tagged # Sixtypercentofus, aims at engaging conventional and non- traditional political mobilisation tools to kill electoral apathy in youths and motivate them to register, collect their Permanent Voters Cards ( PVCS) and vote in the 2023 elections.

Nigerian Resident Representative to UNDP, Mohamed Yahya, at the meeting with the media, noted that the project’s target was to leverage the large number of potential first- time voters, especially young people.

He expressed worry that an estimated five million Nigerians turn 18 yearly, and join the league of voters.

According to him, this translates to about 20 million potential new voters from 2019 to 2023, the election year.

His words: “This increase in the level of first- time voters provides an opportunity for young people to determine the next set of leaders for the country through their participation in active citizenship.

“Young Nigerians and women play a critical role in democracy, as they can act as catalysts for social change and good governance, simply by participating in the election process. Their enthusiasm, resilience and creativity need to be harnessed, paired with the right platforms and opportunities for engagement to help catalyse important changes in Nigeria’s political system.”