The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on young Nigerians, particularly professionals, to take a more active role in the political process, saying the country’s economic and security challenges present an opportunity for a new generation of leaders to contribute to nation-building.
The party made the call in Abuja while receiving executive members of the Young Professionals for Social Change and the Confederation of West African Youths, who paid a courtesy visit to the party’s leadership to discuss governance and policy reform.
Speaking during the meeting, SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, urged young people to rise above religious divisions, elitism and pessimism, insisting that Nigeria’s challenges stem largely from leadership failures rather than a lack of human capacity.
According to him, the country offers enormous opportunities for young people to make meaningful contributions to national development.
“I congratulate you for inheriting the greatest inheritance any generation can get, which is Nigeria. In settled communities, young people scratch their heads asking what to contribute because all problems seem solved.
“In our case, we have a country to build virtually from scratch. To me, that’s a great opportunity,” he said.
Adebayo, who disclosed that he joined the SDP at the age of 19, said the party was committed to promoting a common national philosophy anchored on the provisions of Chapter Two of the 1999 Constitution.
He argued that poverty, insecurity and unemployment persist because the welfare of the people is not receiving adequate attention in governance.
“What we are trying to do with our work in the SDP is selling a common philosophy to Nigeria. Why it is difficult to kill poverty, insecurity and joblessness is that the welfare of the people is the last thing on the mind of the current government.
“You have no option but to love Nigeria because Nigeria is the only one you have,” he added.
Addressing members of the Confederation of West African Youths, Adebayo challenged young people across the sub-region to take ownership of the political process and mobilise at the grassroots for meaningful change.
Drawing inspiration from the role played by the West African Students’ Union during the anti-colonial struggle, he urged the youths to emulate the commitment of earlier generations in advancing development across the continent.
He stressed that political influence must be reflected in voter mobilisation and engagement at the community level.
“Politics is done in the neighbourhoods. Any influence you have that cannot affect how people vote in your community is merely academic. Politics is not a game of the mouth; it is a game of the heart,” he stated.
Also speaking, the SDP vice-presidential candidate, Prof. Usman Bugaje, attributed Nigeria’s development challenges to a lack of political will and leadership competence.
According to him, the country possesses the resources and capacity to overcome its challenges if governed with the right vision and commitment.
“The major problem of this country is the lack of political will to do the right thing and the lack of competence in leadership to know what to do, when to do it and how to do it properly.
“We represent the change that Nigerians are looking for, and we are determined to put the country on a different trajectory,” Bugaje said.
In his remarks, SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, urged the visiting groups to mobilise non-voters and encourage greater civic participation ahead of the 2027 general election.
He expressed concern over voter apathy, noting that only about 24 million votes were cast from nearly 100 million registered voters in the last general election.
“Your coming shows that there is a lot of hope. Knowledge is the greatest capital in the 21st century. You are not here just to help the SDP; you are here to help yourselves, your future and the generations yet unborn,” Gombe said.
The party also called on youths across the country to expand voter education and enlightenment campaigns aimed at increasing civic participation and voter turnout in the 2027 elections.
Source: New Telegraph
