A women group, the Ogbako Umunwayi Igbo Worldwide (OUIW) has appealed to Nigerian youths not to be influenced by religious and sentiments in choosing the next elected leaders of the country.
The group said Nigerians must go beyond casting their votes based on ethnicity, religion and political parties.
Its president and founder Ifeoma Nwadike told newsmen in Owerri yesterday that it was time for electorate to go for credible candidates in the 2023 general elections.
The OUIW president said that the youth must think deeply and vote one who is best suited for leadership positions at all levels, irrespective of their religious inclinations so that the country would have strong leadership that could deliver.
Nwadike lamented how youth in Nigeria were being sidelined in governance and other areas of human endeavour.
According to her, “Every electioneering period, they recycle the same old leaders, doing the same harm to our country. They say the youths are the leaders of tomorrow but look at those youths roaming around in abject poverty.
“A lot of them have worked so hard to aquire education but they can’t find good jobs and they go abroad to seek for greener pastures.”
Some of them have even died in the wilderness trying to better their lives and family. For how long are we going to be like this and for how long will Nigeria continue to bleed and continue to neglect our youths. The future of our country is as stake.
“How much are we owing as a debt in Nigeria, the money borrowed what was the money used for. Was it for electricity or good roads and factories? Where have we strive as a country. I don’t know if we ask ourselves this questions.”
