An indication that the forthcoming general elections will not be business as usual for politicians was emphasised by Toyosi Akerele, the managing partner and CEO of RISE, a fast growing youth interest organisation in the country.
Miss Akerele in a press briefing on Wednesday said her youth based organisation RISE which influences over 65million young Nigerians will contribute to the success of the forthcoming election in the country through mass mobilisation of the youth in the country using the various mass media.
One of such mass mobilisation tool intended to be used by the RISE Network is the "organisation of a showdown on Channels Television with the theme "Nigeria's 2011 election Showdown-anything about us-without us-is not for us" it is an interactive session where the various aspirants will be invited to tell the youth what they intend to do for them when they get into office "said Miss Akerele. "It will also be a platform where the youth will also meet with the aspirants and proffer solutions to national issues so that the aspirants will have a robust manifesto that will help produce practical, qualitative and pragmatic leadership that will move the nation forward. The show down will be aired on Channels TV daily from March 13th-April 23rd at 3.15pm.
Other media like Facebook, Twitter, newspapers, and popular blogs will be employed to ensure that more youth are reached and mobilised for the forthcoming election. "We are also going to organise youth to become volunteers during the elections. Our aim is to ensure that responsible and responsive leaders are elected but we do not want to do this in a violent way like in Egypt and in Libya, that is why we are employing the power of the ballot boxes and it will not be business as usual for the politicians who intend to rig the elections" she said.
The youth leader said it is in the politicians' best interest to attend the showdown. "I will advise the aspirants to attend the showdown, it is for their own interest, because through the platform we are providing, the aspirant can reach over 65million Nigerian youth; like I said it will be an interactive platform and the youth just want to know what the aspirants have to offer and also contribute to their manifestoes, so it is in their best interest to attend the show down" Miss Akerele said.
The lacklustre attitude of the youth toward politics was also addressed by the youth leader. She blames this on the older politicians, who she said have not created the enabling environment for youth to run for political positions in the country, "the current situation in Nigeria do not allow the young to run for political positions because what is being practiced here is politics of calumny and do or die. Today, all you hear is one politician that has been killed or injured, all these are not encouraging the youth. A sustainable democracy makes sure the people come first ,that there is constant power supply, entrepreneurship is encouraged, where the civil servants are properly motivated, the youth are advised to shun violence, embrace peace and move the nation forward." Miss Akerele said.
Culled from: 234next
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