Nigerian youths have raised concerns over what they describe as the persistent exploitation of young people by politicians, mobilised during elections only to be sidelined once power is secured.

The statement was made by Aliyu Bin Abbas, President of the National Youth Alliance (NYA), on Monday during the inauguration of NYA chairmen from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alongside the unveiling of the alliance’s official website and digital portal at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

Abbas condemned politicians who confuse and mislead youths, saying they are mobilised during campaigns but excluded from governance afterward. He also highlighted the continued marginalisation of women in decision-making despite their resilience and numbers.

“This is unacceptable, and this is why the National Youth Alliance exists,” he said, stressing that the NYA is a movement for structure, inclusion, and leadership development, not a platform for violence or noise.

He urged the newly inaugurated state chairmen and FCT leadership to serve as active agents of grassroots transformation, educating and mobilising youths and women for constructive political participation and nation-building.

“The future of Nigeria will not be secured by recycled leadership or age alone, but by properly positioning youths and women as decision-makers,” Abbas said.

Also speaking, Hajiya Ramatu Aliyu, former Minister of State for the FCT, encouraged youths to unite and claim their rightful place in leadership, warning against political violence. Chief Segun Showunmi, former PDP presidential spokesman and chairman of the occasion, lamented that Nigeria’s political parties had lost direction and urged the NYA to rise as a transformative force capable of rescuing the country.