Labour Party presidential candidate Dr Chibuzo Okereke has promised a youth-centred governance agenda, institutional reforms and a proposed innovation bank to support young Nigerians if elected president.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr Chibuzo Okereke, has promised to implement a comprehensive agenda for youth development and institutional reforms if elected President of Nigeria.
Okereke made the pledge during an engagement with the leadership of the Forum of National Youth Leaders of All Political Parties in Nigeria (FNYLPPN) in Abuja as part of the forum’s Youth Dialogue Series with presidential candidates.
The dialogue series brings together leaders of a multi-party youth platform to engage presidential candidates on their policies and proposed programmes for Nigerian youths.
Okereke said young Nigerians must no longer be regarded merely as instruments of political mobilisation during elections but should participate directly in the formulation of policies, development programmes, legislation and decisions affecting their lives.
He said an LP-led government would pursue a clear governance vision that positions young people as active drivers of decision-making rather than leaving them at the margins of the political process.
“As a youth, indeed, anything for us without us is against us,” Okereke said.
The LP presidential candidate reiterated his “Nigerians First” vision, which he described as a governing philosophy anchored on placing the interests and welfare of Nigerians above narrow political, personal and elite considerations.
He said government must exist primarily to serve citizens and improve their quality of life.
Okereke also proposed reforms to the Children’s Parliament as part of efforts to promote early civic participation and leadership development among young Nigerians.
According to him, leadership development should begin early and continue through structured institutions capable of cultivating civic consciousness, patriotism, responsibility and democratic values.
A major component of Okereke’s proposed youth agenda is improved access to finance for young innovators and entrepreneurs.
He proposed the establishment of a National Youth and Students Innovation Development Bank to provide funding for youth innovations, inventions and service-oriented ideas.
Okereke said the proposed institution would identify and support promising ideas through an integrated youth structure extending to the community level.
He said the initiative would address one of the major challenges confronting young Nigerians: the inability to transform creative and innovative ideas into viable enterprises because of limited access to capital.
The proposal aligns with broader calls for stronger youth participation in governance and innovation, while existing federal initiatives have also focused on identifying and supporting young innovators across Nigeria.
Speaking during the engagement, the Chairman of the forum, Delaw Chukwu, said the FNYLPPN embarked on the dialogue series as part of a deliberate strategy to engage presidential candidates across political parties and understand their respective agendas for Nigerian youths.
He said the forum’s objective was not merely to listen to campaign promises but to engage candidates on the challenges confronting young Nigerians, interrogate their policy positions and seek answers to critical national questions.
Chukwu said the forum comprises youth leaders from 22 political parties, with structures extending across states, local government areas and wards nationwide.
He said the platform’s broad membership and national reach positioned it to facilitate meaningful conversations on youth participation, governance and the future of Nigeria’s young population.
The FNYLPPN has consistently advocated greater youth inclusion and leadership participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
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