Youths vow to resist any further attempt by politicians to use them in Anambra
By Vincent Ujumadu
YOUTHS in Anambra State have vowed to resist any further attempt by politicians in the state to use them during elections and, thereafter, dump them.
Rising from a meeting in Awka yesterday, the youths, on the platform of Independent Leaders Forum, ILF, observed that they were usually abandoned by political party leaders after elections, despite their contributions to the politicians’ success.
President of ILF, Mr. Obinna Okafor, who addressed the youths from across the state, said the practice had left loyal party members among them stranded and confused.
Okafor, who described the experience as worrisome and an unfortunate development in Anambra’s political space, lamented that they were often left in the wilderness.
He added that it was that situation that led to the emergence of ILF, with the aim of creating a platform to harvest the increasing number of youths and encourage them to key into the political arena to showcase their ability and capability to excel in politics.
Citing example with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Okafor said: “PDP National Assembly candidates have always enjoyed much financial and political patronage, but they do not see the need to pursue the state House of Assembly contests to a logical conclusion.
”The party usually wins majority seats in the National Assembly election, but very few in the state assembly because while the NASS candidates have the financial and political capacity to individually prosecute their election, the youths, who vie for the state House of Assembly seats, are left to their fate with the attendant consequences.
“It is against this backdrop that ILF has come to provide a platform to assemble and harvest these young leaders to form a bloc and collectively present a strong voice in partisan politics of Anambra State.”
On his part, Vice President of the group, Mr. Patrick Afubara, said efforts were being made to enable its financially-strong members reap from governance of the state in the future, including having a voice in the nomination of candidates.
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