The Arewa Youth Assembly for Good Leadership (AYAFGL) has issued a passionate call to the federal government, highlighting what it describes as the “persistent exclusion” of Northern youth from the dividends of democracy since Nigeria’s return to civil rule in 1999.
In a press statement released on Monday and signed by its President, Ambassador Abdul Danbature, the group expressed deep concern over the continued marginalization of Northern youth despite their longstanding contribution to Nigeria’s democratic processes.
“For over two decades, Northern youth have mobilized voters, defended democratic values, and served as campaign pillars, yet they remain sidelined when it comes to leadership opportunities, government appointments, and empowerment programs,” the statement read.
AYAFGL said the trend of exclusion spans multiple administrations from Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari, and now Tinubu, with older political elites consistently dominating leadership positions while youth are “reduced to election foot soldiers.”
Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the group noted that Northern states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, and Bauchi continue to record some of the highest youth unemployment and underemployment rates in the country.
The group also criticized the weak implementation of federal youth initiatives in Northern states, arguing that many young people in the region have been left without access to vital training, start-up capital, or employment opportunities.
“This neglect is not only unjust, but dangerous,” the group warned, linking the lack of economic inclusion to worsening insecurity, deepening poverty, and rising youth vulnerability in the region.
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To address these concerns, AYAFGL issued four key demands which are, a transparent audit of all federal appointments and youth-related programs since 1999, with a breakdown of how many Northerners under 35 have benefited, the institution of a youth quota system for appointments in federal ministries, boards, and agencies.
Others are, the creation of a Northern Youth Development Fund focused on skills training, entrepreneurship, and job creation, and the formal inclusion of Northern youth in national policy discussions, especially those related to insecurity, economic reform, and governance.
“We can no longer be used as political tools during elections, only to be ignored when it’s time to share the benefits of democracy,” Danbature emphasized.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to correct what it called a “long history of marginalization,” warning that continued neglect could further erode the faith of Northern youth in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
