Young Nigerians have called for 70 per cent representation in elective and appointive positions across all levels of government, declaring that the era of tokenism in governance is over.
At the unveiling of the Future is Now Project in Abuja on Thursday, participants issued a communiqué demanding that by the next election cycle, youths under 35 should hold at least 70 per cent of local government chairmanship and state assembly seats, and those under 40 should occupy 70 per cent of House of Representatives seats. They also urged that half of all executive appointments at federal and state levels be reserved for persons under 40.
The communiqué, read by Convener Laolu Akande, pledged to mobilise, lobby and negotiate across political parties to achieve the targets, while also investing in mentorship and capacity building for young leaders.
Interim Chairman, Rep. Abdussamad Dasuki, described the initiative as a movement “born of sacrifice” that demands older generations yield space for emerging leaders. “The Future is not tomorrow — the Future is Now,” he said, warning that exclusion of the youth majority could breed instability.
The event, which coincided with Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, featured goodwill messages from development partners, civil society leaders and youth stakeholders. It also unveiled the project’s interim structure and membership portal, www.futureisnow.org.
Notable attendees included former Youth Minister Solomon Dalung, Hon. Ibrahim Bello Haliru, Hon. Henry Shield, Hon. Salisu Yakassai and Hon. David Oloto.
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