Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, has dismissed the proposed National Youth Conference by President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a political ploy. Sowore alleged that the initiative is designed to benefit Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, and his associates rather than address real challenges facing Nigerian youths.
Speaking on Lunchtime Politics, Sowore described the initiative as a “joke” and claimed it lacked sincerity. He argued that the conference would likely serve as a platform to reward politically connected youths rather than engage the broader population. “They cannot afford to have real youths at the table,” he asserted, adding that he would not attend if invited.
President Tinubu announced the conference as a 30-day platform to tackle youth-related challenges, emphasizing the need to empower the demographic that constitutes over 60% of Nigeria’s population. However, Sowore maintained that meaningful change would only come from youths uniting to take control of governance, not through orchestrated events like the proposed conference.