Aisha Yesufu, renowned activist and co-convener of the defunct Bring Back Our Girls movement, has called on the newly unveiled African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition to ensure the inclusion of women and youth in its leadership and decision-making processes.
Yesufu issued the caution on Tuesday while sharing a photo from the coalition’s official unveiling of ADC as its political platform.
The image, which she posted on social media, showed prominent older Nigerian men seated at the high table during the event.
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Expressing concern over the visible generational imbalance, Yesufu emphasized that leadership within the party must not be dominated by the older generation.
She stressed that women and young people must be actively involved in shaping the direction of the party from the onset, rather than being relegated to symbolic roles.
“Dear Coalition (ADC), women leader and youth leader positions cannot be what is reserved for women and youth,” she wrote. “You see this table full of older generation men cannot be the only ones allowed to make the decisions as we go on. Women and youth must be in the midst of decision-making and not as an afterthought in the form of tokenism.”
In a direct call to action, Yesufu urged women and young Nigerians to take advantage of their numerical strength and fully participate in the political process.
“Be part of the leadership, be part of the delegates, be part of floor members. Overwhelm for good! Bring in ideas from out of the box,” she charged.
At the coalition’s meeting, former Senate President David Mark was announced as the Interim National Chairman of the ADC.
The unveiling marks a significant step in the coalition’s political journey, but Yesufu’s remarks underscore growing demands for a more inclusive and representative political structure within the party.
Her comments have sparked renewed conversations on generational equity and gender balance in Nigerian politics, especially as new political movements seek to challenge the status quo ahead of future elections.
