By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Tuesday, told aged politicians and political heavy wigs in the country to retire and allow the Nigerian young people to take over governance.

The Speaker insisted that it was a high level hypocrisy to continue tagging young people leaders of tomorrow, while older people continue to recycle themselves in positions.

He declared that Nigeria must deliberately prepare young people for positions of leadership, insisting that they must be active participants in shaping the country’s future today.

Speaking at the launch of the LEAD Fellowship organised by the Gender Mobile Initiative at the National Assembly, Abuja, Abbas said the country’s large youthful population must be equipped with the knowledge, ethical values, institutional exposure and leadership skills required to transform ambition into meaningful public service.

The Speaker who represented the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon Kafilat Ogbara, said leadership goes beyond occupying political office, stressing that it is fundamentally about responsibility, accountability and respect for democratic institutions and the rule of law.

“It is high time we prepared young people for power. As the trustees of our tomorrow, they must understand how the government works and how to use political office to change society for the better. Without this preparation, they risk squandering the opportunity to effect real, lasting good,” he said.

The Speaker commended the LEAD Fellowship for targeting students in tertiary institutions, describing the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s democratic future.

“The youths are no longer merely the leaders of tomorrow; their time has come. As voters, innovators, entrepreneurs and community leaders, they deserve the power to influence the decisions that shape their lives today,” Abbas added.

He said the fellowship would help build a new generation of leaders capable of understanding public policy, questioning the use of power and strengthening institutions that outlive individuals.

Abbas also praised the fellowship’s inclusive approach, saying the deliberate inclusion of women, persons with disabilities and other historically marginalised groups was essential for strengthening democracy.

“The inclusion of women, persons with disabilities, and historically marginalized groups is not an act of benevolence. It is a matter of basic justice, democratic legitimacy and institutional effectiveness. A democracy that excludes large sections of society cannot be said to be representative,” he stated.

The Speaker reiterated the House of Representatives’ commitment to improving women’s political participation through the proposed constitutional amendment seeking the creation of special seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

He explained that the proposal was designed to address the long-standing under-representation of women without preventing them from contesting existing elective positions.

“Let me be absolutely clear: we are not attempting to lower the standard of leadership. We are attempting to remove the barriers that prevent capable women from even reaching the starting line,” he said.

Abbas identified inadequate campaign finance, exclusion from party structures, cultural stereotypes and electoral violence as major obstacles confronting women seeking elective office.

He challenged beneficiaries of the fellowship to focus on solving societal problems rather than merely seeking political offices, urging them to become ethical, technologically driven and institutionally minded leaders.

“Nigeria does not need a generation that is simply more ambitious than the one before it. Our nation needs a generation that is wiser, more ethical, more inclusive, more technologically advanced and more institutionally minded,” he said.

To ensure the programme’s long-term impact, the Speaker proposed the establishment of a LEAD Alumni Policy Network to enable fellows to continue mentoring one another, conduct policy research and collaborate on initiatives that promote national development.

He also reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to partnering with the Gender Mobile Initiative to strengthen citizen engagement, promote inclusive governance and support reforms aimed at widening political participation.

From Rabiu Sanusi, Kano

The Chief of Staff to the Katsina State Governor, Hon. Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, has called on stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in the state to close ranks and strengthen the party’s grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Nasir made the call during a meeting with party stakeholders at the Red Chamber, Muhammadu Buhari House, Katsina, where discussions centred on party unity, internal cohesion, reconciliation and grassroots mobilisation.

He urged members to put personal differences aside and work collectively in the interest of the party and the people of Katsina State.

According to him, the administration of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda remains committed to inclusive governance and the delivery of democratic dividends across the 34 local government areas of the state.

The Chief of Staff asked party leaders to take the message of peace, unity and good governance to their wards and constituencies, noting that the strength of the APC would depend largely on the unity of its members from the ward to the state level.

He said, “Our strength as a party lies in our unity. We must put personal interests aside, strengthen our structures and continue to engage our people at the grassroots.”

Speaking at the meeting, the Katsina State APC Chairman, Bishir Gambo Saulawa, commended the Stakeholders Committee constituted to tour the 34 local government areas and assess the state of the party at the grassroots.

Saulawa said the committee was mandated to identify challenges within the party structures and recommend practical measures for addressing them.

He noted that findings and recommendations from the exercise would help the leadership in its efforts to reposition and strengthen the party.

The APC chairman also cautioned members against actions capable of creating division, assuring stakeholders that the leadership would continue to engage different interests within the party.

Stakeholders at the meeting commended Radda for what they described as prudent management of state resources and a people-centred approach to governance.

The stakeholders said the administration had continued to execute development projects across the state despite prevailing economic challenges, citing interventions in education, healthcare, agriculture, security and rural infrastructure.

The political stalwarts further pledged support to the Governor and expressed readiness to strengthen engagement at the grassroots, adding that Governor Radda is an accessible leader who listens to different interests and encourages participation in governance.

At the end of the deliberations, the stakeholders resolved to sustain regular consultations, strengthen ward and local government structures and promote dialogue and reconciliation in resolving internal disagreements.

The meeting was attended by the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Hon. Nasir Yahaya Daura; Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Garba Faskari; Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; members of the APC Stakeholders Chairmen; Local Government Council Chairmen; APC Party Chairmen from the 34 local government areas; aspirants; and elected members of the State House of Assembly, among others.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday declared that President Bola Tinubu is the only presidential candidate who can win Rivers State in the 2027 general election, urging political observers to “cancel Rivers” from their electoral calculations if they are not counting votes for the President.

Wike, who spoke during his monthly media chat in Abuja, said a broad political coalition comprising members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP), the Action Alliance (AA) and other political groups had resolved to work together in the interest of Rivers State while backing Tinubu’s re-election.

“If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can count Rivers is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I’m not talking because I want to talk; I’m talking as a political realist because I know my people,” he declared.

The former Rivers State governor explained that the coalition was deliberately designed to move beyond party affiliations by supporting candidates considered most capable of serving the state’s interests.

“Today, we have PDP, APC, Labour Party, AA all together. We have candidates across different political parties for the House of Assembly and National Assembly. We will support the candidate who is most acceptable. Whoever emerges should not be seen as APC or PDP; the person should be seen as the coalition’s candidate,” he said.

According to Wike, the alliance is gaining widespread acceptance across the state.

“All we are doing is for one purpose, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is all-inclusive and it is spreading like wildfire,” he added.

The minister dismissed suggestions that the arrangement was intended to strengthen any particular political party, insisting that the overriding objective was to attract greater development to Rivers State.

“For me, what matters is the Rivers State. If Rivers State is relevant because projects are coming and people are benefiting from the government, then I am satisfied. It is not about personal ambition; it is about the interest of the state,” he stated.

Wike, who traced his political career from local government chairman to governor, minister and other leadership positions, said his experience had taught him that successful politics requires strategic thinking and an understanding of the people’s expectations.

“I have been in politics since 1999. Nobody can teach me politics or tell me how to navigate it. Politics is about leadership and understanding the interests of your people,” he said.

Recalling the 2019 governorship election in Rivers State, Wike alleged that unprecedented federal force was deployed against him but that he emerged victorious despite the pressure.

“I saw what federal might mean. Military personnel came with battalions as if Rivers State was at war. We survived it by the grace of God and fought back,” he said.

He maintained that his political strength derives from the confidence the people of Rivers State have in his leadership.

“Once the people trust you, they believe that what you tell them will happen. Leadership is about carrying the people along, and that is what we have continued to do,” Wike added.