The South-South Youth Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have charged the party to reduce its nomination fee by 50 per cent for youths below 40 years.
The youths made the call in a seven point communique raised at the end of a one-day summit tagged, “South-South PDP Youth Leaders Summit; Youth and the Rescue Mission in Nigeria” held in Asaba, Delta.
They said that the party had a role to play in empowering youths to participate in elections, particularly in the 2023 general elections.
In a communique read by Mr. Uyero Erarawewho, Chairman, Organising Committee, South-South Youth Leaders Summit, full-scale mobilisation of young people across the south-south for online registration for PDP has began.
“We demand reduction of expression and nomination form fee for young people less than 40 years of age by 50 per cent.
“We have commenced wooing of more young people from other parties to PDP. We, the youths stand with the decision of the south-south leaders of the party to zone the presidential or vice presidential ticket to the south-south.
“We urge all organs of the party to consider the agitations of the south-south because of the zone’s commitment and support to the party over the years.
“We also demand that a youth must be part of the three ad-hoc delegates of the party,” the youths said.
Earlier in a keynote address, Prince Muhammed Suleiman, National Youth Leader, PDP, charged the youths not to be docile, but to participate actively in politics starting from the ward levels.
“The PDP has come to rescue the country with a formidable political platform and solutions. It is therefore pertinent that all hands must be on deck to achieve this mission.
“The youths are the pillar of the party, they constitute about 70 per cent of the country’s population and our youth leaders across the states are in the forefront of mobilizing and engaging the youths.
” The issue of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) is paramount, because one without a PVC is like going to war without a weapon. Therefore, your PVC is your power and strength to change the future of Nigeria,” Suleiman said.
He warned that venturing into politics demanded dedication, sacrifices and commitment to bring the needed change in the society.
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr Isaac Anwuzia, lauded the youths while charging them to mobilize for the party to ensure the realization of the agenda to rescue the country.
According to him, today’s summit is geared towards reducing the opposition government, saying that PDP was the only answer to the yearning and the aspirations of the masses.
The event witnessed various panels of discussion at the summit on ways to ensure full participation of youths in the political leadership of the country.
