Date: 2018-03-20

A People's Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Kwara, Alhaji Mohammed Ajia-Ibrahim, has charged Nigerian youths to get actively involved in politics to safeguard the country from collapse.

Ajia-Ibrahim told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Monday that beyond agitation, youths must rise to the challenges of nation-building and governance.

He said the time had come for the younger generation to take vantage positions in leading political parties in the country, particularly the PDP.

"Youth should take the gauntlet to vie for elective political offices in subsequent elections, especially in 2019," he said.

Ajia-Ibrahim, who is eyeing House of Representatives seat for Ilorin West, said if Nigeria's political founding fathers assumed leadership positions in their 20s and 30s, the youths had no excuse to shy away from leadership positions.

He added that as a youth himself, he was ready and prepared to offer service to the nation.

"It is time for Nigerian youths to wake up from slumber and take up the gauntlet as the future belongs to them as leaders of tomorrow."

He appealed to the youths to make use of the "not-too-young-to-run" slogan and venture into politics with the sole aim to serve and not to loot.

Ajia-Ibrahim said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government and Kwara Government had failed the youths.

He, therefore, appealed to the youths to register in ongoing voter registration across the country to enable them exercise their civic responsibility in the 2019 general elections.

"Your PVC is your weapon to vote out inept and bad government out of office.

"I appeal to youths in the state to register and collect their PVC so that collectively, we shall decide our future in 2019," Ajia-Ibrahim said.

NAN