Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Nigerian Youths in Politics group has threatened nationwide protests over the alleged harassment of young political aspirants by established political leaders.
Ahead of the 2027 political cycle, a prominent advocacy group, The Nigerian Youths in Politics, has issued a stern warning to established political actors against the systemic intimidation of young political aspirants across various political parties.
The Chairman of the group, Mr. Felix Tolorunju, gave the warning during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, May 15, 2026. He expressed deep concern over a rising trend of hostility targeting younger candidates, describing it as a direct threat to the nation’s democratic progression.
Tolorunju alleged that several young aspirants who had already taken the bold step of purchasing expression of interest and nomination forms were being subjected to immense, undue pressure from entrenched political interests.
According to the group, once young politicians formally declare their intentions to contest state-level positions, they frequently face pushback from powerful stakeholders, including state governors and veteran party leaders.
“The continued harassment of young aspirants amounts to an attack on the future of leadership in Nigeria and a blatant violation of the constitutional rights of youths to participate freely in the democratic process.” – Mr. Felix Tolorunju
The group warned that the youth demographic would no longer tolerate being relegated to peripheral roles like campaign mobilizers while being actively blocked from running for office.
To safeguard the inclusion of emerging leaders, the group outlined the following demands and actions:
Level Playing Field: Governors and political party executives must immediately halt the intimidation tactics and guarantee equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of age or financial backing.
Mass Mobilization: If the suppression of younger candidates persists, the group vowed to mobilize Nigerian youths for peaceful, nationwide protests targeting the secretariats of political parties and leaders accused of silencing new voices.
Civic Oversight: The group called on Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the media to actively monitor party internal politics and hold actors accountable to the principles of fairness.
The briefing concluded with a call to action from Tolorunju, urging young Nigerians to remain resilient, refuse to be discouraged by institutional barriers, and continuously defend their constitutional right to contest elections and drive national development.
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