By Obinna Uballa
Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed deep concern over what he described as the growing loss of hope among young Nigerians about the future of the country, urging them not to give up but to remain engaged in the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, Atiku said he recently received a delegation of youths from across the 19 northern states, led by Alhaji Adamu Bappa Gombe, who lamented the impact of bad governance, flawed elections, and poor economic policies on their livelihoods and businesses.
“I am extremely concerned at how young Nigerians are losing hope about the future of our country,” Atiku wrote.
“Every time they come to have a conversation with me about bad governance, fraudulent elections, and the resultant hardship being faced by citizens, I deeply feel sad about the situation.”
The former vice president said the youths he met expressed frustration over their perception that their votes no longer count and that government policies have continued to worsen their standard of living.
Atiku, however, said he used the meeting to encourage them not to succumb to despair but to channel their energy toward political participation, insisting that change can only come through the ballot.
“I have continued to encourage them not to give up. I told them the change they desire can only come through the ballot,” he said.
“I reminded them that they have a responsibility to mobilize their fellow young people to keep participating in the process of leadership recruitment through elections.”
Atiku lamented the persistently low voter turnout in Nigerian elections, noting that the 25 to 30 percent participation rate recorded in recent polls is discouraging.
“The change they desire cannot be attained by voter apathy,” he warned, urging the youths to “make a huge difference by influencing massive participation in 2027.”
The PDP chieftain, who has remained one of the most vocal critics of the current administration, reaffirmed his commitment to what he described as the struggle to rescue Nigeria from anti-democratic elements.
“On our part, we shall not relent until Nigeria is recovered from anti-democratic forces,” he declared.
