2027: This is your government, Youth Minister courts young voters for Tinubu’s second term

…Says reforms are painful, but Nigeria is moving forward …‘President is fixing what previous governments left broken’ By Johnbosco Agbakwuru Comrade Ayodele Olawande is the Minister of Youth Development. Olawande is one of the youngest ministers the country has had. In this interview, he speaks about the efforts by President Bola Tinubu to create an enabling environment for youth participation in governance.

The minister appeals to youths to reciprocate the gesture of the Federal Government by coming out en masse to vote for Tinubu on January 16, 2027 presidential election. According to him, the President is fixing and stabilising the economy among other things he is doing. Excerpts: What is the outcome of the youth conference that you just rounded off?

We just ended the youth conference. We are now compiling the recommendations, which will be delivered personally to Mr. President. They will be split into three areas—judiciary, legislature, and executive—so that all arms of government can work together and put things in the right direction. What we are saying is that we want a quick response. When Mr.

President closed the conference, he said that all the recommendations must be implemented. As soon as we finish putting the recommendations together, we will make them public for the Nigerian youth to see. It was a comprehensive conversation, with contributions from all zones online. We are in a digital age, and we are ensuring that the process is not politicised.

I am happy that it is coming at this particular time because every politician should be on the ground campaigning. We should have young people in their federal constituencies and local governments who may not otherwise have the opportunity to contribute to such an initiative. It pushes them in the right direction, gives them a voice, and brings together what they have said with contributions gathered online, from the Diaspora, and from other sources.

That is how we can produce a robust resolution to push for. That is what we have done. What are some of the key demands of the youths? There are a lot of demands. I do not want to give them away. I want to focus on their resolutions and recommendations; I do not speak ahead of them. You are in charge of the Youth Directorate for the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

What are the expectations? The expectation is that, for the first time in the history of this country, we will have a Presidential Campaign Council that goes back to the wards and units to hunt for, engage, plead with, explain to, and canvass support from young people in every ward and every unit. We have seen enough. The youth are not only in Abuja.

They reside in the units, local governments, wards, and states, and that is where the votes will come from. As the Director-General, I will say that, for the first time in the history of politics, a President or presidential campaign has given the Youth Directorate to young people, just as he did with the ministry and the government. We are saying that it is best for us to go out and engage the youth, rather than run programmes only in Abuja.

That is why we have inaugurated structures in the zones, where we can stay in touch with young people. We are moving around to encourage them, tell them, and explain that one of the first things this government has done for young people is to give them access to quality education and skills, including through schools and technical and vocational education and training.

Even after school, young people now have access to opportunities through the reform of agencies, parastatals, and institutions that are over 53 years old. We are saying that this government is youth-friendly and youth-focused. Everything about this government is about young people. If somebody tells you that you must go to school, what happens after you leave school?

You may have to repay tuition fees or a loan you took. This government is putting everything together to stabilise the economy and create an enabling environment for young people to thrive. Whether the initiative is infrastructural, social, or economic, it is for young people. So, what is your expectation from the youth in the January 16 election? Are they going to repay Mr.

President for what he has done for them? When you look at the APC as a party, in terms of registration, young people make up more than 60 per cent. There is no way you can tell me that the youth will not determine the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Look at the rallies we have attended. We went to Jigawa, and the rallies we have held—young people were everywhere.

You cannot see only old people at those rallies. What young people are saying is that they are fully in support of re-electing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. You will also see the enthusiasm in the movements being formed. It is not only about politicians. You have technocrats, people who have never been in politics before, and people doing things differently who are now joining this movemen