Omoyele Sowore Accuses Tinubu of Favoring Loyalists Over True Youth Representatives for National Conference
Human rights advocate and presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused President Bola Tinubu of using the upcoming National Youth Conference to reward loyalists and friends of his son, Seyi Tinubu, rather than including genuine representatives of the Nigerian youth.
Sowore made this statement on Wednesday during his appearance as a guest on Channels TV’s LUNCHTIME Politics programme.
Last week, President Tinubu announced plans for a 30-day National Youth Conference during his Independence Day broadcast, aiming to address critical issues facing Nigerian youths. These include unemployment, education, and political participation.
The conference is also seen as a response to youth-led protests in 2024, such as the #EndBadGovernance protests in August and the #FearlessOctober movement in October. The President described the conference as an opportunity for young people to engage in meaningful dialogue and empower themselves for active participation in nation-building.
However, Sowore argued that the conference is not intended for genuine youth representation. Instead, he claimed it serves as a mechanism to reward those who are already aligned with the government.
“The agenda is to compensate some young people who are already in the government’s corner,” Sowore said. He compared the situation to the representation of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which he claimed has often been hijacked by individuals who are not actual students. “It is just like saying that the Nigerian government is relating with NANS, and you expect the students to be represented when people at NANS today are not even students. They are students without institutions,” he stated.
Sowore further asserted that the youth invited to the conference are likely to be close friends of Seyi Tinubu, rather than true representatives of Nigerian youth. He said, “These young people they are calling to the conference are probably Seyi Tinubu’s friends, not Nigerian youths because they cannot afford to have the youth on the table.”
The statement has sparked a wider debate about youth engagement in Nigeria and whether the government’s planned conference will genuinely address the challenges faced by young people or serve as a political tool to benefit those in power.
Sowore’s criticism comes amid growing concerns over the lack of youth representation in key government decisions and the politicization of student organizations in the country.
The outcome of the planned conference will likely be watched closely by Nigerian youth, as they seek a more meaningful role in shaping policies that impact their future.
