2027: Youth leaders call for a shift in power, a 70% governance share.

In what could influence the national debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, youth leaders from political parties across Nigeria have called for a clear transition plan for younger leadership, radical reforms in governance and urgent action against insecurity and unemployment.

The demands are contained in a 10-point statement signed by Comrade Eze Onyebuchi Chukwu, National Youth Leader of APGA and Chairman of the Forum of National Youth Leaders of All Political Parties in Nigeria, at the end of the National Youth Leaders meeting with journalists organized by the forum on Saturday in Abuja.

At the heart of the resolutions is a call for all presidential candidates for the 2027 elections and national chairmen of political parties to publicly pledge to hand over power to leaders under the age of 60 by 2031 if elected or supported in 2027.

The forum said Nigeria’s political future must no longer exclude the generation that constitutes the majority of the population.

Youth leaders have also called for a radical expansion of youth participation in governance, insisting that the current 30% quota for young people in appointed and elective positions has failed.

They proposed a new formula that would include 70 percent youth in governance at the federal, state and local levels, while older leaders retain 30 percent consultative space.

According to the statement, young Nigerians remain underrepresented despite making up over 60% of the country’s population.

On electoral reforms, the forum called on political parties to cut the costs of nomination and expression of interest forms, with a discount of at least 70% for aspirants aged 35 and under.

He argued that democracy must not remain the preserve of the rich, warning that the high costs of participation, campaign violence and intimidation continue to exclude young Nigerians from leadership contests.

Youth leaders also raised the alarm over worsening insecurity across the country, including killings, kidnappings, terrorism, sectarianism and drug abuse.

While acknowledging the sacrifices of security personnel, they urged the federal government to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve community policing and prosecute sponsors of violence.

They added that youth unemployment, poor education and political exclusion must be addressed as root causes of insecurity.

The statement also calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish youth skill acquisition and empowerment centers in all 774 local government areas and six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

The forum says such centers would help fight unemployment, create entrepreneurs and restore hope among frustrated youth.

As for national unity, the group warned against divisive politics based on ethnicity and religion, urging young Nigerians to reject violence and manipulation by political elites.

He stressed that youths from every region must see themselves first as Nigerians rather than through sectional identities.

Youth leaders also denounced the poor state of public primary and secondary schools across the country, calling for urgent action to stop the decay and abandonment of infrastructure.

They argue that continued abandonment of public education while leaders patronize private and foreign schools would exacerbate inequality and worsen the nation’s future.