Nigeria: Enough of Use-and-Dump Politics, Youths Tell Politicians

27 January 2026

Nigerian youths have condemned what they described as the persistent use of young people by politicians during elections, only to abandon them after victory.

The President of the National Youth Alliance (NYA), Aliyu Bin Abbas, stated this on Monday during the inauguration of NYA chairmen from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as the unveiling of the alliance's official website and digital portal, at the NAF conference centre, Abuja.

Abbas said many politicians had confused and misled youths by mobilising them during elections, excluding them during governance, and abandoning them afterwards.

He added that women, despite their numbers and resilience, remain largely marginalised in decision-making.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

"This is unacceptable, and this is why the National Youth Alliance exists," he said, stressing that the NYA is not a platform for violence or noise, but a movement for structure, inclusion, and leadership development.

He charged the newly inaugurated state chairmen and FCT leadership to be active agents of grassroots transformation, responsible for organising, educating, and mobilising youths and women for constructive participation in politics and nation-building.

"The future of Nigeria will not be secured by recycled leadership or age alone, but by properly positioning youths and women as decision-makers," he said.

A former Minister of State for the FCT, Hajiya Ramatu Aliyu, urged youths to unite and take their rightful place in leadership, warning against political violence.

Similarly, the Chairman of the occasion and former PDP presidential spokesman, Chief Segun Showunmi, said Nigeria's political parties had lost direction, urging the NYA to rise as a transformative force capable of rescuing the country.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 80 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.