INEC chairman urges African youths to champion peaceful, credible elections

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has called on African youths to take the centre stage in promoting peaceful and credible elections across the continent.

Yakubu made the call while delivering a lecture at the Civil Service University in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, where he was a guest of the institution on Tuesday.

He urged young people to actively engage in the electoral process with a positive mindset, shun electoral malpractices, and uphold democratic values.

The lecture, entitled “Democracy and Peaceful Elections in West Africa”, was delivered to students of International Affairs and Diplomacy as well as Peace and Conflict Studies.

Yakubu’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, released highlight of his lecture in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Highlighting the indispensable role of youths in electoral processes, Yakubu noted that elections in Africa could not succeed without their participation.

“Young people form the backbone of election duty staff,” he said, adding that Election Management Bodies (EMBs) often lacked sufficient permanent staff and therefore relied heavily on youths as temporary or ad hoc personnel.

He emphasised that beyond logistics and staffing, youths also constituted the largest segment of the voting population.

“Before the elections, they are involved in voter registration—one of the most critical stages of the electoral cycle.

“It is a duty that must be undertaken with sincerity, patriotism, and a sense of responsibility,” he stated.

Yakubu urged youths to be upright and law-abiding, saying: “If you want peaceful elections, play your part for God and country.

“Do the right thing. Obey the laws and regulations. That’s how we make every vote count.”

He also drew attention to the role of youths as political party agents.

He warned against misrepresenting facts or feeding political stakeholders with false information, acts that could trigger violence and erode public trust in the electoral process.

Yakubu cautioned against the spread of fake news, especially during election periods.

“Don’t be among the fake news merchants. If it’s not verified, don’t share it. As citizen reporters, you have a duty to report elections truthfully and responsibly,” he advised.

The INEC Chairman further encouraged young Africans not to lose faith in democracy or withdraw from civic engagement, saying, “This is the system we have chosen.

“It is ours to nurture, defend, and improve. Every young African must play a role in deepening and strengthening democratic institutions.”