Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications and Convener, Coalition for Media Politics, Chief Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the huge cost of prosecuting elections in Nigeria, negates legislation on “Not Too Young To Run” in Nigeria.
Speaking as a guest of Voice of Delta FM Radio in Asaba, Okowa’s EAC said the only panacea to youth involvement in the electioneering process and be voted for; is for federal government through the National Assembly, to enact laws reducing cost of election funding while political parties on the other hand must of a necessity slash cost of procuring nomination forms.
He berated the national government of the All Progressives Congress, APC, under President Mohammadu Buhari, for paying lip service to the Not Too Young To Run project, noting that by raising cost of election expenses, it goes to show that interested youth seeking elective offices will have to be sponsored financially by wealthy political godfathers, who will in turn control affairs of government to earn huge return on political investments, to the detriment of the people.
Oghenesivbe posited that his boss, the governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, was the first governor in Nigeria, to appoint a youth, Hon Osssi Ovie Success, as political aide at the age of 23 years in 2015, saying that some governors subsequently emulated Okowa’s initiative by appointing youth into public service.
“Okowa is very passionate about youth empowerment, raising future leaders through political participation, entrepreneurial skills development, political mentorship and counselling. This is commendable and I urge other leaders to emulate his leadership style and patriotic ingenuity.
“It is crystal clear that APC national government is paying lip service to the Not Too Young To Run project by raising cost of funding elections in Nigeria. It is anti Nigerian youth and must be condemned by all those who desire to see a great and prosperous nation-state.
“It does not make sense to enact laws which enables our youth to run for elective offices, and at the same time raise the cost of funding elections across board. Who does that?
“The ideal thing to do is to reduce cost and make the electoral process transparent to encourage our youth, not the other way round.
“The question is; how and where do government expect them to raise the hundreds of millions and billions of Naira to run? It’s like giving something with the right hand, and taking it back with the left hand. Enough of politics of deception.
“It is very sad to recall that the same APC which promised CHANGE for the better in 2015, has become an embarrassing clog in the wheel of progress in our collective quest for advanced and civilized democracy in Nigeria. What a nation under APC and Buhari!
“Our youth are too docile, they must wake up from their slumber and question the rationale behind the increase of election funding in Nigeria. It is meant to relegate them to the back stage of leadership, power and influence.
“It appears that APC is taking Nigerians for granted, and have initiated and sponsored several anti people legislations tending to intringe on our fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, through the foreseeable enactments of obnoxious laws.
“The show of shame by the 9th Senate to take us back to the dark days of massive election rigging must be condemned. Election results should and must be transmitted electronically to INEC DataBase and Website. This is only window to substantially guarantee near transparency in our electoral processes.
“Senators who voted against electronic transmission of votes and results are the enemies of democracy in Nigeria, they are dictators in disguise. They should be voted out in 2023,” Oghenesivbe said.