•As They Can’t Get Their Children To Vote For APC Or PDP
Overthe last few months many Yoruba parents have been finding it difficult to convince their adolescent children to vote for either APC or PDP. Many of them are fixated on Peter Obi of Labour Party. They are part of the Obedient movement and they came out in large numbers to support Peter Obi. Many of their Yoruba parents are either supporters of APC or PDP. Some are loyal members of the parties. But it has been difficult getting their children to follow their party affiliation.
At the last 25th February, 2023 Presidential Elections a lot of young people voted massively for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Many of them are members of what they call the Obedient Mass Movement of young people who believe in the Obi Presidency. From Lagos to Abuja and all the major cities they trooped out to vote for Labour Party which they believe is the best party that will provide the much needed platform to ensure true change.
From their utterances, did you notice that many of these young people don’t like APC and PDP at all? And they don’t hide their contempt for these 2 parties. They believe the parties are made up of those who are responsible for the woes of Nigeria. That is why many of them mobilised seriously for Peter Obi, especially in Lagos, along with many other Igbo and Christians who all voted for Labour Party.
That is why Labour Party won resoundingly in Lagos and beat the APC and PDP to their game. And they have promised to repeat same at the forthcoming Governorship elections on 11th March, 2023.
Many Yoruba parents who spoke to City People confirmed the trend. They agonised about how their children have refused to agree to support their various party affliations and preferences. Their children are in support of Peter Obi of the Labour Party. They have joined the Obedient Movements.
Hear one of them: My kids don’t know Jack about Politics. All they know is Peter Obi. According to another mother, “Honestly, same with my children. They believe Peter Obi is the answer. I spoke to them about it. I am lucky they have agreed that they are going to vote for APC this time around. I told them that if they vote for Peter Obi & Labour, the Igbos are going to take over their father and mother’s land”.
Right now, on social media, parents have been contacting other parents begging them to let all parents start talking to our children. The message is: “We see their Whatsapp/Facebook/Instagram status and overlook their political views without educating them, on this there rabid love for Peter Obi & Labour. Let us begin to let them know the repercussions of blind followership. Let them know that they are being used to actualise a tribal agenda…Charity begins at home. The youths have the electoral numbers, they are the new bride… Let us woo them…”
What are their reasons for not voting for APC and PDP, we asked them, a few days ago. We spoke to many young people randomly. And they gave their reasons.
One of them explained that “most people in my generation, this is the first election they’re witnessing as adults and they’re old enough to actually do something about it.
Another one said, everyone is tired of the status quo. Most people don’t have good jobs and the ones that do are frustrated because they spend the bulk of it trying to survive with fuel scarcity and high cost of living
Another young professional says everyone else is leaving the country to find better opportunities and those that are left are frustrated. Either because they can’t afford to or their other friends and family are scattered across the globe
“We’ve been told since we can remember that we’re the leaders of tomorrow. Even our parents were told this but the country just keeps recycling the same old men every four years with no real progress happening across board. It’s frustrating.”
“EndSars showed us that these old men don’t care about us. If it was left to them, they’ll shoot all of us dead. So long as it’s not their own children or family members. They really don’t care. So why should we care to maintain the status quo and keep them in power?
One young professional explained that a lot of us travel and see how other countries who are not even up to Nigeria are so well maintained and developed and we always ask why can’t Nigeria be like this. From the moment you land in Nigeria, problem everywhere. But you go to Ghana or Tanzania or Rwanda or Kenya even small Cotonou is way better. It’s annoying.”
Another young entrepreneur said the platform they built to transmit the votes was a sham. We have young tech startup founders who would have done a better job but they didn’t bother to open up the contract to the youths. There are young entrepreneurs who have built better tools and have become millionaires and billionaires just off of that.
“There’s no employment and even the economic landscape doesn’t encourage small businesses to thrive. Everyone is struggling especially entrepreneurs. People can barely keep their staff to pay salaries or keep the lights on in the home. Most people that moved out of their parents houses are considering or have moved back home. The whole thing is frustrating. There’s no way we won’t speak up”.
