The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has inaugurated the Edo State Youth Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging them to leverage their large population, energy and technological skills to deliver candidates of the PDP in the 2023 general elections.

Obaseki at the inauguration in Benin City, said about 70 percent of Edo people fall under the category of youths, adding, “This shows the importance of the youth council in taking the rescue message of the PDP to every nook and cranny of the state.”

The governor noted, “The most important role for you to play is to redesign the message and spread the same that the PDP has come to rescue the country. You bring a lot of energy so we expect you to help us with the design to reach out to the voters.

“The way politics is now being run, you are the ones to make it happen but first, you have to understand the message and communicate the same to the people around you.”

According to him, the involvement of youth in politics should not be based on personal gains but for a better future, noting, “You are not here to do anyone a favour. Rather, you are involved because of your future and the future of Nigeria. You need to be actively involved in the decisions that will be made in the country. It's your fault if you are not participating in the process of these choices.”

The governor urged the youth council to also leverage the use of technology to successfully deliver on their responsibilities, adding, “Politics today is quite inbuilt with technology and social media and you’re perhaps, the most technologically savvy generation in Nigeria. So, you have to make sure our candidates win but the starting point is not the candidates but the localities.”

He continued: “Our victory lies largely on you and there's no room for violence because violence cannot win us any election; if anything, it is detrimental. You have to stop anybody from causing violence because if there is violence, they will cancel the whole polling unit and you don't want that to happen at all. You will be a protector of the process and the votes which is contrary to what used to happen.

“That is the thinking behind segregating the youths and giving them their own avenue and track in this political process so that we can begin to nurture you to ensure that our whole democratic experience now rests on you.”

On his part, the State PDP Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi, said the inauguration of the Youth Campaign Council is in line with the desire of the presidential campaign council, adding, “We are confident that with the youth working very well, the election is ours to lose.”