Youth Leader Laments Lack of C’ River Youths Participation in National Politics, Kicks Against Institutionalizing Re-election

By Missang AKPET

The National Vice Chairman, South-South Zone of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Dan Obo, has expressed concern over the lack of representation of Cross River youths in national leadership positions. 

Speaking with journalists in Calabar, Obo attributed this to the state's youths being overly focused on domestic issues rather than national conversations.

“As dogged as we are as Cross River youths, if you go to national conversation for this generation, you can't find our young people there. Our strength as a people is more domesticated”.

“Every time we want to show that we are young people who have strength and energy, that strength and energy is put against ourselves, when it has to do with other parts of the country, we shy away. That's why from the inception of this institution called the Youth Council, we hardly find Cross Riverians daring to even be a youth president or daring to hold any sensitive office” he lamented.

Obo, who is the immediate past state chairman of the NYCN and recently appointed South-South vice chairman of the NYCN said his performance during his tenure as state chairman was recognized nationally, earning him the position of National Vice Chairman, South-South Zone and however emphasized the need for Cross River youths to take a more active role in national conversations and leadership positions.

“Cross River and Akwa Ibom are paired in terms of positions and offices allocation which Akwa Ibom were always given the slots because of their presence while Cross River was always losing out. That was how I came about meriting the Zonal Vice President which would have also been given to Akwa Ibom” he noted.

Speaking on the state politics, the erstwhile youth chairman expressed concern about the current state of politics in Cross River, stating that leaders seem to be "donated" power without being accountable to the electorate.

“In Cross River, It looks as if power is donated people, leaders no longer owe the electorates responsibility for service. We have a situation where when a person finishes his first tenure you owe him the obligation of supporting him for second tenure meanwhile the first tenure you supported him, he has nothing to show and when you voice out they’ll say you’re inconsistent, I wonder when politics became consistent”.

“It is wrong for re-election into any political office to be made a pattern, second term should be merited through performance and not made a system or pattern” Obo said.

Obo called for a shift in mindset among young people in Cross River, encouraging them to work together to support the Otu led administration while emphasizing the importance of holding leaders accountable and promoting good governance