12/08/2026
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2026 MESSAGE
TITLE: “DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, COMMON ASPIRATIONS”: NIGERIAN YOUTHS MUST UNITE AGAINST EXCLUSION, NOT AGAINST ONE ANOTHER
I extend my warmest congratulations to the resilient, innovative, courageous and determined young people of Nigeria.
This year's theme speaks directly to the situation of Nigerian youths.
We may come from different political parties. We may belong to different ethnic groups, religions, regions and social backgrounds. We may disagree on candidates, policies and political ideologies. These are our different contexts.
But beyond these differences lies a common aspiration: we all desire a Nigeria where young people are respected, empowered, represented and given meaningful opportunities to participate in determining the destiny of their country.
Our political differences must therefore never become a reason for us to hate, attack or destroy one another.
As Nigeria moves towards another important political season, I appeal particularly to young Nigerians to shun political violence.
Do not allow anyone to put a weapon in your hand against another young Nigerian because you support different candidates.
Do not destroy a fellow youth's future in defence of a politician whose own children are protected from political violence.
Do not allow political disagreements on social media to become ethnic hatred, physical confrontation or permanent enmity.
There will always be another election. There may never be another life.
We must reject every attempt by desperate political actors to turn Nigerian youths against one another for personal political advantage.
If politicians disagree, let them disagree. If political parties compete, let them compete. But Nigerian youths must never become expendable instruments of political warfare.
Instead of fighting ourselves over politicians, we should unite around the fundamental questions confronting our generation like:
Where are the youths when governments are formed?
Where are the youths when critical national decisions are taken?
Where are the youths when opportunities and responsibilities are distributed?
Why should young people constitute the energy behind political campaigns but remain inadequately represented at the tables where the future of Nigeria is decided?
Our struggle should not be youth against youth.
It should be a peaceful, democratic and united struggle against unemployment, poverty, exclusion, inadequate education, insecurity, inequality and every structural barrier preventing young Nigerians from realizing their enormous potential.
I am personally encouraged by the increasing involvement of young Nigerians in politics and public affairs.
More young people are registering to vote, joining political parties, contesting elections, engaging public officials, debating policies, participating in civil society and demanding accountability.
This is progress.
But political participation must not tear our generation apart.
Politics should be a contest of ideas, competence, character and programme not a battlefield where young Nigerians are recruited to destroy other young Nigerians.
We must learn to disagree without becoming enemies.
To young nigerians already in leadership
I have a special message for every young Nigerian presently occupying political or public office.
You are carrying more than your personal reputation, you are carrying the reputation of a generation.
Every time a young public office holder performs exceptionally well, another argument for generational leadership transition is strengthened.
Conversely, whenever a young leader abuses public trust, those opposed to youth inclusion immediately point to that individual and ask “Is this the generation you want us to hand Nigeria over to?”
Therefore, wherever you have been entrusted with responsibility, lead differently.
Demonstrate competence.
Protect public resources.
Reject corruption. Respect the people. Be innovative.
Be accountable.
Let your performance become evidence that Nigerian youths are prepared for greater responsibility.
We need thousands of positive references across Nigeria who will make the case for youth leadership impossible to dismiss.
To My Apga Youth Family
On this special day, I celebrate the vibrant youths of our great party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Thank you for choosing APGA and for believing in our vision of progressive leadership, good governance, inclusion and national development.
Let us continue working to make APGA an attractive political home for young Nigerians who desire a platform through which they can contribute meaningfully to the development of our country.
Wherever you represent APGA, let your conduct demonstrate discipline, tolerance, competence and respect for fellow Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliations.
To My Colleagues In The Forum Of National Youth Leaders
I equally congratulate my colleagues and the entire family of the Forum of National Youth Leaders of All Political Parties in Nigeria (FNYLPPN) across the federation.
Our different political affiliations should never prevent us from defending our common generational interests.
Wherever you find yourselves in your parties, states, local governments, wards, government institutions or communities, please continue to represent the legitimate aspirations of Nigerian youths.
Our responsibility transcends party boundaries.
When elections come, we can campaign for different candidates. But when the question is youth development, youth inclusion, employment, education, empowerment and leadership opportunities, we must find a common voice.
As we demand greater inclusion, we must equally prepare ourselves for the responsibility we seek.
Youth inclusion must never mean replacing competence with age.
We must educate ourselves, build businesses, acquire skills, understand governance, participate in our communities, develop character and prepare ourselves intellectually and morally for leadership.
We must prove through our conduct that we do not merely want positions—we are prepared for responsibility.
The leadership transition we advocate must be a transition to competent, patriotic, prepared and accountable younger Nigerians.
It Is Different Contexts, Common Aspirations
My fellow Nigerian youths, our greatest strength lies not merely in our numbers but in what those numbers can accomplish when united around a common purpose.
We can belong to APGA, APC, PDP, Labour Party, NDC or any other political platform and still recognize that unemployment does not ask for your political party before affecting you.
Poverty has no party membership card.
Insecurity does not distinguish between political affiliations.
And the future we will inherit belongs to all of us.
Therefore, let our parties give us platforms, but let Nigeria give us purpose.
Let us compete without hatred. Let us disagree without violence.
Let us participate without becoming instruments in the hands of desperate politicians.
And above all, let us unite our voices for a Nigeria where young people are no longer merely mobilized to elect leaders but are deliberately prepared, empowered and entrusted to become leaders themselves.
Our contexts may be different, but our aspirations are common.
One Youth. One Nation. Stronger Together.
Happy International Youth Day 2026 to every Nigerian youth at home and in the diaspora.
May the aspirations of our generation become the achievements of our generation.
God bless the youths of Nigeria.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
Hon. Comrade Eze Onyebuchi Chukwu
National Youth Leader, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
Chairman, Forum of National Youth Leaders of All Political Parties in Nigeria (FNYLPPN)
12 August 2026
