No candidate should get an Easy Pass anymore - Oby Ezekwesili

Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, an ex-minister of education in Nigeria, has called on Nigerian youths not to freely give their votes to any candidates in the 2019 elections.

Ezekwesili, who is also an activist, was reacting to a recent speech in which Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo commended Nigerian youths over their roles in economic and nationbuilding.

Ezekwesili however asserted that no Nigeria government has the right to glory in the individual capacity and successes of Nigerian youths because the government has failed the youths.

The former minister noted that the best resource of a country is the human resources as represented by the youths. She also noted that most Nigerian youths did not believe that government played any role in whatever successes and achievements they may have recorded in their endeavors.    

“Our people & nothing else represent our best endowment forever.”

“Do our Young Ones feel that any Government in Nigeria has a right to glory in their respective individual successes?" considering their constant refrain that Nigeria failed, fails and continues to fail them?, she asked.

Ezekwesili added that Nigerian youths now have the opportunity of strategically deliberating on problems that matter most to them and which leaders in states and federal, executive and legislative arms of government must solve as the country is heading towards the 2019 general elections.

She lamented that Nigerian political contest is still at a base level where matters of the stomach are deemed more important than issues that matter to the poor and rural business.

Ezekwesili, however, warned Nigerian youths to be wary of selling off their votes or freely voting for any political aspirant.

She urged them to look out for competent and capable leaders who can solve the different problems confronting the country.

She said, “No candidates of political parties should get an Easy Pass anymore from the electorate -especially the young segment of our Voting population- who have URGENT & SERIOUS ISSUES that only Competent, Capable people with Character CAN SOLVE in the Legislative &Executive arms of Govt.”

The former minister also advised youths to channel their anger about the current Nigerian leaders to take the right political decisions that will help in tackling the challenges they are angry about.

“Our Young are ANGRY. Anger can sometimes be USEFUL. Useful Anger is the one I call "Effective Anger". Effective Anger is the type of Anger that pushes the one who is angry to TAKE THE RIGHT COURSES OF ACTIONS that could become Catalytical to tackle the ISSUE that got them angry.”

Ezekwesili also called on the youths to refrain from hurling insults, resorting to violence or embracing criminality, which she described as ‘wrong kinds of anger.’