Young candidates vying for various positions ahead of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) regional council elections in February 2022 said on Friday that lack of funding and insecurity remained their biggest threat to running for offices.
Candidates and leadership of political parties organized by YIaga Africa to provide a platform to engage young candidates in Abuja.
According to Daniel Amos, the presidential candidate of the Kwali Regional Council for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), said it was difficult for the young to be elected in Nigeria because of the finances and other logistical issues involved.
Amos also said insecurity was another challenge he faced as Kwali being a remote area was prone to kidnappings and mobility in villages was not easy.
“We face financial challenges because people believe in money and when we go out for the campaign we have to give them money.
“There is also the challenge of insecurity and mobility, voter registration is another problem we face in Kwali because people can not register for their voter’s card , we have need the support of our political parties for the campaign because you cannot campaign without security, we need parties to help protect young people as they campaign. ”
Ms Mina Horsfall, National Rescue Movement (NRM) presidential candidate for Abuja City Council (AMAC), said there was a need to encourage young people, women and people with disabilities to stand for election supporting them in various ways.
Horsfall appealed to security agencies to provide security support to help them run safe campaigns. She also urged political parties to support these candidates with moral and logistical support to help them win the elections, adding that “the media should also help give them visibility,”
Ms. Juliet IsiIkhayele, the council candidate The administration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Kubwa neighborhood under the Bwari Regional Council, urged political parties to create structures to help young people and women participate. workforce structures in various departments in order to set up polling stations.
She said, it would help to have a workforce ready in neighborhood-level elections, adding that parties should also help with logistical and financial mobilization because politics was not a human duty but an effort.