The October 1 protests across Nigeria recorded a low turnout, despite prior calls for mass participation. Explore the reasons behind the low engagement and the responses from organizers.
“The 30-day conference will bring together young people from across the nation to collaboratively develop solutions for pressing issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The structure of this event and the selection process for delegates will be designed in close consultation with youth representatives. As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that their aspirations are central to the discussions,” said the President.
Reacting to the plan, Juwon Sanyaolu, National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, observed that the President had not organized any conferences before implementing his policies.
He stated, ”I believe President Tinubu intends to spend taxpayers’ money on organizing a festivity for his supporters. We observed some attendees being paid, including members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who were praising him in Abuja. To me, this appears to be exactly what the President aims to do.”
“What consultation took place before he decided to award himself a private jet costing billions? Did we have any discussion prior to his decision to allocate billions of naira for constructing an apartment for the Vice President? Or what kind of meeting did we convene before they began awarding themselves exorbitant allowances and budgeting billions for kitchen utensils?”
Continuing, Sanyaolu remarked, “In fact, did the President hold any consultations before raising fuel prices to over N1,000 between August and now? Some are even paying N1,500. Nigerians don’t need a consultation.”
“We shouldn’t waste our money organizing a jamboree for his supporters, whether they are from APC or elsewhere. Nigerians need effective governance, and a conference won’t achieve that.”
When asked if the protest will continue, Sanyaolu responded, “The protest is ongoing. We will be announcing a new date soon because I know there are still individuals in various states who wish to participate. The next dates we announce won’t be far from now.”
Ayodele Olawande, the Minister of State for Youth Development, announced that the Federal Government will establish a task force to lead the implementation of recommendations from the forthcoming youth conference.
Providing more detail about the preparation process, Olawande mentioned that it involved forming an implementation task force to address various issues on the agenda.
“We will be launching it very soon, and we’ll provide all the terms and conditions, areas of focus, views, etc. Furthermore, we’ll request that the President establish an implementation task force to ensure prompt action; this includes drafting any necessary Executive Orders right away.”
The Minister noted, “We will remove those recommendations that need to go to the National Assembly and proceed as quickly as possible. It’s a done deal.”
Olawande mentioned that Tuesday’s announcement was the result of comprehensive consultations with various stakeholders.
While the initial proposal suggested a four-day dialogue, the President advised extending it to a one-month conference.
He explained, “I was very happy because I’ve been telling the young people in my constituency that the President is attentive. Last month, we gathered many young individuals and had a discussion among ourselves. Following our strategy meeting, we decided it was essential to unite youths from all political parties for discussions and collaborative strategizing before presenting something collectively to the President.”
We named the initiative a Youth Dialogue and engaged with all relevant stakeholders. Following these consultations, we presented our case to the President. After hearing us out, he agreed on having a dialogue within four days but expressed his desire to expand its scope. He encouraged us by saying that he’d like to see how young people across the nation could unite through this effort.
“We have faith in this nation and are confident that it is ours. What you’ve witnessed today reflects our conviction, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the progress. This development marks a positive step forward, and we’re gearing up to implement new initiatives shortly after consulting all relevant stakeholders, as endorsed by the President.”
Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele pledged to back the recommendations from the youth conference, stating that such an initiative was long overdue.
He said, “The importance of a youth conference right now cannot be overstated. The youth make up over 60 percent of our population or demographic, much like the President who is also duly acknowledged. I believe that we should listen to the young people not only when they are protesting in the streets.”
“If we can hear their voices loud and clear when they are protesting, we should be able to listen even more attentively during a well-articulated discussion.”
“Such a development would be highly welcome, and we all eagerly anticipate it. As elected representatives of the people, we are committed to fostering a conducive atmosphere and environment for the youth conference.”
The lawmaker added that the National Assembly would thoroughly review the Economic Stabilization Bills, which received approval at the previous Federal Executive Council meeting.
Unimpressed, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Coalition for United Political Parties criticized the President’s decision to hold a youth conference, calling it ‘a misallocation of priorities.’
The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, contended that the move underscores the President’s deficiency in governance ideas.
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He remarked, “The President admitted he has no ideas on how to govern this country. The President enjoys rhetoric and grand statements but lacks action. An economic summit is needed more than a youth conference.”
He should now focus on organizing an economic summit, bringing together Nigerian economic experts from around the world to leverage their insights for reviving Nigeria’s economy. Additionally, he ought to convene a security summit with top security chiefs and specialists to tackle the nation’s pressing security challenges.
Kennedy Ahanotu, the National Youth Leader of the Labour Party, likewise condemned the move as a superficial tactic for tackling pressing national concerns.
Ahanotu argued that the concept of a youth conference is ill-timed, stressing that what Nigerians genuinely require is effective governance.
“I believe this is merely a superficial method for addressing critical national problems. This conference seems designed to distract Nigerian youths from the real issues at hand. What they have been demanding is good governance. When sectors such as transportation, education, and healthcare are functioning properly, why do we need a national youth conference?” he questioned.
Mark Adebayo, the National Spokesperson for CUPP, criticized the Federal Government’s proposal, calling it insincere.
He voiced apprehension that the gathering could devolve into another attempt to sway young people to back Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, “despite his poor performance.”
He remarked, “In my view, this so-called national youth conference is likely to be an illusion with no tangible outcomes. I believe it’s a deliberate and strategic distraction by the government—yet another pointless expenditure that will cost billions of naira in our already struggling economy. It offers no inherent value.”
However, the All Progressives Congress and several youth groups praised the proposed conference.
APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, stated that through this decision, Tinubu has demonstrated himself to be a compassionate and attentive leader who embodies the principles of the party.
He called on the protesting youths to reconsider their stance, stressing that the president’s mission and intentions are honorable and genuinely aimed at benefiting the country.
Ibrahim also accused the PDP, LP, and CUPP—who have criticized the move—of not having Nigeria’s best interests at heart.
“The president aims to politically and diplomatically engage the youth, empowering them to plan for their future. A conference of this magnitude will equip young minds to take control of their country’s destiny. Those who oppose such initiatives are not considering the nation’s long-term interests,” he emphasized.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria praised Tinubu for giving the green light to the youth conference.
