2019 Polls: Utomi Charges Youths On PVCs

A Political Economist and founder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Pat Utomi says Nigerian youth must take advantage of their voting rights to actualise their desired change in the country.

He said registering and getting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ready ahead of the 2019 general elections is crucial as voting remains the only powerful tool to effect change in government.

Utomi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that beyond agitation, Nigerian youths must rise to the challenges of nation-building and governance.

The political economist said it is now time for the younger generation to occupy key positions and lead political parties in the country, adding that “If the youths are serious about changing their position, all they need to do is to organise themselves with the technology available to them to say that the future belongs to them.

“They can also go and be part of the ongoing voter registration to get their Permanent Voter Cards to vote for the candidates of their choice. It is legal and it is your civic responsibility.”

According to him, “Without the cards, you are wasting your time. If you are complaining about bad governance, I will ask you, did you get your PVC? Did you vote? Or did you stand up to protect your vote?”

The Lagos Business School Don said the youths must positively engage the government, while also supporting efforts to make Nigeria a better place to live in.

”I was already engaging the government as early as 19 years and it is well over 40 years now that I have been doing that”, Utomi said, adding; “As a 21-year-old corps member working in a newspaper magazine, I caused a cabinet reshuffling through my investigative report, and at 27, I became a member of presidential advisory committee.

“I have been on the stage since then and I see no reason youths cannot follow my footsteps. The youths can have a paradigm shift from the old order if they are resolute.”

He maintained that the power to change the government is now flexible with social media and challenged the youth to not only get their PVCs, but resolve to participate actively in the electoral processes as major stakeholders in the polity.