OPINION: Why PDP Must Listen To GEN-Z To Win In 2023

I cannot recall any party primaries that has generated so much interest, anticipation and expectation from ordinary people who are mostly not members of the party.

PDP and its delegates may have in the past easily gotten away with any shade of character they elect as candidate for the people to vote for in the general election.

Things appear to be changing so fast in the last couple of months. Ordinary people (mostly young people) appear not to be willing to settle for any ‘candidate’ the party throws up as it presidential candidate.

From the look of things, PDP and its delegates look to be in a very difficult place going into their forthcoming party primaries. If the delegates choose to go the route of their usual “highest bidder” or serving the interest of their local god father in choosing a candidate, I see a cataclysmic eruption that may likely have serious repercussions for the party.

The organic movement that young people across Nigeria has generated for Peter Obi in just a couple of weeks is amazing and should be frightening to any politician that pays attention to details.

From what I see, young people of Nigeria are sick and tired of being lied to by same and same old politicians. They want something different. They want a person with track record of performance, empathy, economic sound management and with no political baggage.

These young people are mostly made up of Gen-Z who never witnessed the military rule, and have never voted before, they are same folks who shocked the world with #ENDSAR movement. Their ability to organize and mobilize shouldn’t be in doubt to anyone. Many say that elections are not won on social media. That’s true, but they can organize and mobilize on social media especially Twitter.

Just like when the #ENDSARS movement started on Twitter, government didn’t take it serious, some known government handles on Twitter were even mocking them. But like a desert storm, it was devastating when they hit the streets. They made everyone believe, including President Buhari.

Today they are marching all over Nigeria in what they call #1MillionMarch4PeterObi. To them, this is just the beginning, their momentum will certainly move into a higher gear in the coming days.

I recommend that young people who are sympathetic to APC should organize themselves too like the ones supporting Obi, and make APC know precisely who they support and make serious demands that for the party to listen them.

To PDP delegates, you are not ghosts and not immune to the hardship Nigerians are passing through every day. Let your decision not be guided by your pocket or promise of political patronage or appointment. Think of the society your children and children’s children will live in. Choose someone that has the capacity to make it better.

For far too long, Nigerians have been taken for granted by the elite and the political class. Their choice of who becomes candidates were mundane and ephemeral, but this is about to change for good.

Today, the young people of Nigeria have served the political class notice of their unwillingness to accept their shenanigans anymore. As we wait for what may or may not happen come the party primaries, one thing is clear, we are now at a threshold, things can’t remain the same, something needs to give and the young people of this country are ready to take it by the scuff.

– Young Ozogwu writes from Abuja.

Disclaimer: This article is entirely the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of The Whistler.