A former member of the Osun State House of Assembly and member of the campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Lekan Olatunji has revealed that the manifesto of the governorship candidate of the party, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), embeds several opportunities for young people.
Olatunji said this on Saturday at an engagement with youths and students organised by the youth mobilization committee of the campaign council in Osogbo.
The event brought together students, youths and civil society stakeholders to discuss issues affecting young people and the proposed solutions contained in the AMBO manifesto.
Speaking at the programme, Olatunji said the agenda was produced through consultations involving about 1,972 respondents across the 30 local government areas of Osun State, with youths playing a significant role in the process.
He stressed that young people were not merely beneficiaries of the proposed policies but active contributors to their development.
“The manifesto was not made for young people; it was made with young people. Their voices, experiences and expectations were part of the process,” Olatunji said.
Olatunji highlighted several youth-focused proposals, including the establishment of a State Tech Incubator in Osogbo expected to equip about 2,000 young people with skills in coding, data science and remote work.
He also highlighted the proposed industrial apprenticeship programme in Ilesa West, which is expected to provide practical training for about 1,000 youths, as well as the N500 million Agri-Intergenerational Fund, which would provide interest-free loans and grants for young people interested in agribusiness.
Other proposals, he said, include digital agriculture hubs, drug prevention and rehabilitation programmes, and accountability mechanisms such as the Osun Promise Tracker, performance scorecards and local government town-hall meetings.
Olatunji urged young people to assess the manifesto based on the practical opportunities and programmes it offers rather than viewing it solely through the lens of political campaigns.
“Youths should not be seen merely as beneficiaries. They are builders. When we invest in them, we are investing in the demographic dividend of Osun State,” he said.
The Secretary of the Youth, Student and Civil Society Mobilisation Committee, Kehinde Ayantunji, said the engagement was organised to provide young people with an opportunity to directly interact with the APC candidate and seek clarification on his proposed policies.
According to him, the committee considered it important for students, youths and civil society stakeholders to understand the manifesto and how its proposals could translate into tangible opportunities for them.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Olalekan Badmus, described youths as critical stakeholders in determining the future of Osun State.
Badmus urged young people to use their voting strength responsibly by asking questions, demanding accountability and making informed political choices.
“You are not only the leaders of tomorrow; you are critical stakeholders in the Osun of today,” Badmus told the gathering.
He called for peaceful and issue-based political engagement, urging youths to assess political candidates based on their policies, programmes and capacity to deliver.
The interactive session provided participants with an opportunity to examine the AMBO manifesto and discuss issues including employment, skills development, entrepreneurship, agriculture, sports, technology and youth participation in governance.
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