The founding National Chairman of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Ralph Nwosu, has assured members of the party that the 2027 general elections will not hold if the party is not on the ballot.
This is as ADC National Youth Leader, Comrade Balarabe Rufai, insisted on 35 per cent affirmative action for youth and women, and said it should go beyond mere declarations.
Nwosu, who spoke on Wednesday in Abuja during the ADC Youths Champion and Prospective Legislative Summit, blamed the party’s current challenges on the culture of impunity in Nigerian politics.
“The culture in place is dirty. It’s very difficult to change the culture, but we will continue working very hard to do so once we are determined.
“You don’t need a million people to do it, you just need a few determined minds,” he said.
He explained that all the constitutional requirements were met by the coalition partners before the takeover of the party, adding that the ADC National Executive Committee (NEC) equally consented without any objection.
Nwosu boasted that the ADC will defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 and will form the next government at the centre.
“The statistics are already there in our portal. I think we are already recording over five million people who are desirous to pay money and to become members of ADC.
“By the time the registration will close down, if it has not closed down by today, we will have a minimum of 11 million people that are ready to contribute money,” he disclosed.
He pleaded with the youths to remain committed and steadfast, disclosing that ADC has already allocated 50 per cent to the youths and the women in its constitution.
Rufai, whose office organised the event, said the youth constituency is not begging for space but is asserting its constitutional rights.
He added that, going by the ADC constitution, 12 governorship tickets are reserved for the youth constituency, and at least one Senate ticket in every state.
According to him, “10 to 15 state House of Assembly slots per state are designated for young people.
“These are not promises, they are not political conveniences; they are enforceable commitments.
“As we approach our party primaries, let it be stated without hesitation or ambiguity, the Constitution of the African Democratic Congress has already settled the question of inclusion and its provisions are sacrosanct and non-negotiable.”
Former Special Assistant on Digital and Social Media to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, in her goodwill message, said the era of exclusion of Nigerian youth from politics has ended.
Onochie stated that the 20 per cent affirmative action in the ADC constitution is not a favour but a structural rebalancing of power.
“It is also a deliberate transfer of influence from the old guard to a new generation that understands today’s Nigeria and is ready to build tomorrow’s Nigeria.
“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. A nation with one of the youngest populations in the world cannot continue to be governed by dilapidated and out of date ideas that no longer serve Nigeria’s future,” she stated.
