The legislature is central to the actualization of the social contract that binds citizens and their elected representatives. Members of the National Assembly are thus seen as symbols of democracy because citizens are given the opportunity to actively participate in governance beyond elections.
The peculiarity of Nigeria’s democracy is seen as having the right framework and institution but lacking the manpower and wherewithal to ensure the independence and effectiveness of the structured institutions.
Apart from seeing the National Assembly as a place inhabited mostly by people of questionable integrity, Nigerians especially the youth also believe they are being short-changed in representation despite forming the overwhelming majority of the population.
One of the initiatives of some of the youths was the launch of the Young Legislators Accountability Project (YLAPNG), jointly organized by the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and the IPU Forum of Young Parliamentarians.
The Head of Research, Policy and Advocacy of Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) Samson Itodo said the project is designed to enhance legislative accountability through effective citizens’ participation while also building a cohesive young legislators hub for political mentorship, peer learning and capacity development.
He said the project is anchored on four pillars: legislative support, legislative accountability, political mentorship and citizens’ participation. “Through this project, YIAGA hopes to sustain citizen participation in governance in the aftermath of the 2015 elections through issue-based engagement with young legislators,” Itodo said.
Itodo added that the greatest challenge for citizens is in terms of low civic education, how to participate in governance processes and how to hold elected officials accountable. He said: “Recognizing the challenges militating against effective legislative-constituents relations is why YIAGA and OSIWA conceptualized the project.”
He said the project will bridge the gap between the elected representatives and their constituents, facilitate interactions between the legislators and constituents on regular basis to exchange ideas and fulfil representational roles.
Chairman, House of Representatives committee on Inter-Parliamentary Union and Forum for Young Parliamentarians (IPU-FYP) Hon. Rapheal Nnanna Igbokwe, urged governments at all levels to ensure that more youths are included in the day to day running activities of governance.
“Current crop of young legislators in the National Assembly are committed to bringing about real change in Nigeria. The more youths a country has in government, the more voices for them for national development,” Igbokwe said.
While saying that there are plans to hold a National Conference of youth participation in government in March under the theme, “If we can vote we must be voted for”, he urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of the on-going constitution amendment to restate their demands for the benefit of the youth.
Country officer of OSIWA Jude Udo Ilo, said his organization will not relent in supporting the initiative, saying it is high time Nigeria began to build a new set of generation leaders away from what the country has now. “We have seen a major shift because we noticed that when there is program at constituency, people turn out en-mass. So, we hope that this forum will help our young legislators to deliver and to talk directly to the constituents in the language they will understand,” Ilo said.
He said eight senators and 29 Reps members representing 7.33 and 25.27 percent respectively at the National Assembly are grossly inadequate.
On her part, representative of DFID, Clara Barntt said youth’s voice is important in modern democracy and need to be louder, adding that the forum will provide opportunity for the young parliamentarian opportunity to show their potentials.
Victoria Sloan of the United States Embassy commended the initiators, adding that it is very important that young legislators in both National and state assemblies continue to interface with the people that brought them to the office at all times.
Chairman Partners for Electoral Reform (PER) Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu urged members of the Nation Assembly to review downward the age limit to contest election for the Senate and House of Representatives seats. He therefore advised members of the National Assembly to amend the relevant section of the constitution in the on-going constitutional amendment to create conducive atmosphere for youths who are below 30 to contest for House of Representatives seats.
The project’s concepts show that one of the four pillars, Political Mentorship, also has six components: Constituency Accountability Dialogues, mid-term Performance Audit of Young Legislators, research and production of policy briefs, #LetterToMyRep campaign, #YLAPNG Campus Storm and celebrating champions.
It is also said that through the conduct of midterm performance audits of young legislators, the project will generate empirical evidence on the performance of elected representatives, particularly young legislators and lists the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) with its #Buharimeter, to provide policy analysis for effective legislative oversight and law making.
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/politics/youths-move-for-greater-presence-in-national-assembly/132398.html#9b5ik2IjW6gyHZp5.99
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