African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has said that the Nigerian political system is not youth-friendly.
Sowore, who said his early days of activism were part of what led to Nigeria’s democracy, claimed that those in the military government in the 1990s, “who were driven out, are now back in government,” saying that democracy turned out to be false.
Speaking on the subject of ‘Why young people are not involved in Nigerian politics’ in an interview with Super Screen TV on Thursday, Sowore also said he did not like being called a politician, saying: “Many politicians lie and sugar coat, that’s why I don’t like being called a politician because it makes me feel like I’m part of them.”
He said he had a different character, made sacrifices, and had scars to show for those sacrifices.
“The Nigerian people won democracy as a result of my activism. That was the most important thing when I was young. The goal was to oust the military, however it is very disappointing that democracy has turned out to be false.”
Sowore said that people who were ousted in the 1990s are now back, citing the example of the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), who was head of state in 1984 and will remain president in 2023.
“The youth in Nigeria are limited in politics because the designed system would not allow them to progress,” Sowore said in response to a question about why the youth were limited in politics.
“In 1925, young people created the Nigerian youth movement to fight for independence; people like Herbert Macaulay and Okoli, young women of the time, are not excluded. Over time, youth are being pushed into the background and now, youth are turning to bullying,” she said.
“Young people are running abroad to find greener pastures. What society does with its youth is to educate them, give another opportunity to people who are not interested in school, give work, that is how society develops”, he said.
