The Power Shift Movement, a political pressure group, has called for the renewal of the political class and return of political power to the youths in the country.
The Convener of the movement, Mr Nonso Nnamani, made the call on Saturday at a stakeholders’ dialogue of the Power Shift 2023 Enugu State Young Leaders.
The Dialogue was themed: “Power Shift 2023: Renewing the Political Class”.
Nnamani noted that young people needed to come together, pool resources and ideas together, build a common front and wrestle (political) power from the older generation.
According to him, we need people-oriented leaders to emerge in the country that will be able to provide a new and right direction for positive result-oriented governance.
“People that want a change, especially youths, complaining about misrule and bad governance should stop sitting on the fence but get active in politics to change things,” he said.
He said that within one year and some months, the movement had been able to hold consultation with various political parties and platforms within the country on the need to give youths some concession and leverage.
The convener said: “We are indeed happy that more youths are picking forms for various political seats within political parties and as a movement we are looking for ways to harness this growing population.
“However, we are also accommodating new politicians who sincerely have something to offer as well as having good track record of public service and management to come into the political space’’.
He said that the movement is working out ways of assisting the new entrants to the political space to ensure their campaigns and political programmes run smoothly.
Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, Executive Director of Leadership and Entrepreneurship Advocacy (LEAD) Network Africa, said that the platform created by Power Shift Movement would definitely equip youths with knowledge on politics and good governance.
“Since one cannot operate beyond his knowledge; this dialogue and other engagements of Power Shift Movement, both physical and online, will definitely reshape 2023 election and political thinking not only in Enugu State but the entire country.
“Our youths aspiring for leadership should get attuned with global best practices and know how to tackle social needs with international best practices,” Okenwa said.
“Our youths aspiring for leadership should get attuned with global best practices and know how to tackle social needs with international best practices,” Okenwa said.
Mr Monday Anih, Special Assistant to Enugu State Government on Culture and Tourism, urged youths to imbibe the spirit of service and volunteerism in order to build their acceptability in the society.
Anih also stressed the need for youths to network among themselves and take positive advantages of the specialty and talent they could offer to promote their political fortune.
“Youths must be in the vanguard of mobilising all around them – friends, family members, community members – to get their voters cards.
“At this stage lies all other forms of preparation to take over the political landscape,” he said.
The dialogue was attended by hundreds of youths within Enugu State and beyond.