2019: Group mobilises 200,000 Nigerians to raise funds for young aspirants

AHEAD of 2019 general election, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Raising Voices Initiative, is mobilising 200,000 Nigerians to raise fund to campaign for young and physically challenged aspirants who are vying for electoral positions.

Addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, the Executive Director of the organisation, Adebanke Ilori, said, the plan is to mobilise Nigerians who believe that the generation needs to start from securing positions and making impact in the National Assembly, irrespective of the persons elected to the Presidency, begin to reform the country from the parliament, laws and policies.

She noted that the constitutional amendment reducing the ages to run for office which young people worked for in May 2018, has ensured an unprecedented increase in the number of competent young people running for office.

She said “we can get Nigeria on the path towards fulfilling its destiny to donate N5,000 each to the campaign accounts of these candidates.

“We have identified young Nigerians who have taken the bold step to run for office and have secured their party tickets despite the odds. In this regard, we recognise the good work of our partners particularly YIAGA Africa, International Republican Institute, Civic Hive and Accountability Lab, whose work continues to equip these pacesetters with the skills needed for a political system which puts the people first.

“We speak today as the new voices and faces of good governance, selfless leadership, accountability and transparency. We speak as a voice for the 67 million marginalised youths, the 29.7 million persons with disabilities, our 49.34% female citizens who are being limited in their aspirations by inequality, the over 13.5 million children out of school, the 61.6% of Nigerian youths who are unemployed.

“We speak as a generation who must answer the call of destiny to consciously build a better nation. Today, we answer the call of destiny to change the narrative, to bypass this status quo and to continue the journey to building a better Nigeria,” she added.