"YOUTHS MAKE UP 65% OF VOTERS IN NIGERIA AND WILL DECIDE THE DESTINY OF NIGERIA", SAYS DOGARA

With the call for nigerian youths to become actively involved in the decision making process of the country, a group of concerned and dedicated youths, under the aegis of Youths Support Advocates for PDP, YSAP have signified their willingness to represent their peers.

NAIJ NEWS ALERT recently met with one of the country's vibrant minds who is also an active player in YSAP.

YSAP, according to him, is fully on ground in virtually all the states of the federation and is poised to provide an enabling platform where youths will play their roles in a positive light, away from the past where they were used as tools for electioneering crimes.



EXCERPTS:


It is our pleasure to have you here with us. But, before we proceed, could you give us a brief introduction of yourself?

Dogara Unyem Caesar is my name. A member of the PDP and one of the National Representatives of the Youth Support Advocates for PDP (YSAP); member of the Executive and one of the founders as well.

I am from Kaduna state and I live in Kaduna. Presently, I am the Online Editor for the Makarfi National Project Kaduna Chapter.



What are the ideals that YSAP was founded on?



 YSAP was founded on the ideal of patriotism for the PDP as well as the Nigerian society. It's fact that the youths make up over 65% of eligible voters consisting of men and women. That simply means that we decide the destiny of our nation and when we fail, the nation fails.

As the only Democratic Party in Nigeria. We have roles to play towards improving our nation's Democracy. Being laid back is not one.



What exactly is happening in YSAP?



Nothing really that cannot be managed and handled; positively and responsibly. It is just a level of misunderstanding on how things should be done. Some of us are of the opinion that things must be done the right way and I believe it's just a matter of time.

We can't bring about genuine change unless we change ourselves. Disputes between people or factions in YSAP is something that is bound to happen. I believe we shall get it right for the better.




There seems to be a faction in the body. What exactly is the faction standing against and what is the interest?



We Represent truth and positivity. We have no interest at all; PDP is the only interest here and we won't play around with that.. We are the future of the party and we will not play around with that as well. We had passed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman and we are still having hard talks with some of his active executives. Hopefully, we shall reach to an agreement, a positive and progressive one.




Who is, or should be leader after a vote of no confidence had been passed on the National Coordinator, Comrade Sadiq Aboi?



This is a democratic system; we are Democratic. It's only right that Comrade Chibuke Nwafor (his deputy) takes charge of affairs pending on when we all reach a final decision. And we strongly believe that he, Chibuke Nwafor presides over the agreement and decision process. In other words, we must be transparent.




Is it a process that can be settled, reconciled and bringing Comrade Sadiq Aboi to continue as National Coordinator?



I don't really know about that, time will tell. Most importantly, we demand for extreme activeness and whoever is leader, must not be different. Personally, I have got no issues with him My problem is that we must do the needful for ourselves and the party. If Majority of the Executives and members decides that Sadiq stays; why not?
If they have a better alternative, it's all the same. Comrade Sadiq is my big brother and demands a whole lot of Respect. There's no issue at all!




If you say there is no issue at all, could you then tell us what is actually on ground? Are there any proposed plans for ensuring a resolution that will bring about an understanding or, must the embattled chairman have to go? What exactly is the plan?



Like I have said before, we are Democratic and our demands are honest, clear and simple. Our demands are on the table for the executives to review; don't get me wrong, no one is saying he must go. No!

But he must do what is right. We are not breaking any rules; we are only going the right way and right direction. Yes, you can't be National Coordinator and at same time Coordinator for Kaduna state chapter and you dictate the wish of the members of YSAP Kaduna. No, it's not done that way.

 For close to two decades now, the youths had been used as political thugs and machineries for ballot snatching amongst others. After the 2015 defeat, it became necessary that we get deeply involved and we needed a force for healing, the link to be involved in active politics but by learning from the elders.

Therefore, We must not allow disputes overcome all we have worked so hard to build. We must learn from the past and move forward, or else we will keep making the same mistakes.