The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has called on Nigerian youths to rise and defend the country’s democracy.
Yilwatda described young people as a critical force needed to sustain Nigeria’s present and future stability.
He urged youths, particularly those within the 25 to 55 age bracket, to take ownership of the democratic process and resist attempts by what he described as self-serving political actors to derail national progress.
The APC chairman said the call became necessary amid what he termed recent moves by some political interests to promote personal ambitions while misinforming citizens about the current administration’s reform agenda.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said Nigeria’s democracy was at a defining moment.
“Nigeria’s democracy is at a defining moment. The responsibility to defend and consolidate it rests heavily on our youths, who possess the energy, innovation and patriotic zeal required to move the nation forward,” he said.
“We must not allow individuals who offer no credible alternatives to past challenges to mislead the people or truncate the gains already being recorded.”
Yilwatda said over 50 per cent of APC members are youths, describing the party as youth-driven and committed to inclusion and leadership renewal.
He noted that the emergence of a youthful national chairman reflects the party’s confidence in the capacity of young people to drive governance and democratic growth.
The APC chairman warned that entrusting Nigeria’s future to individuals pursuing personal political ambitions could reverse progress and return the country to instability.
He, however, acknowledged that reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have come with challenges but insisted they are necessary for long-term economic growth.
According to him, early indicators show that the reforms are repositioning Nigeria for fiscal stability and global competitiveness.
Yilwatda added that Nigeria’s youthful population remains key to strengthening democracy through active civic participation and accountability.
He further said the country’s reforms have attracted commendation from international bodies, including the World Bank, noting that investor confidence is gradually improving.
“Investor confidence is gradually being restored. From renewed commitments in the oil and gas sector to growing interest in Nigeria’s digital economy and infrastructure space, the signs are clear that the country is on a path to recovery and growth,” he added.
