ADC youth mobilization: Group urges Nigerian youths to register for 2027 elections

A push to register youths ahead of 2027

Nigeria has one of the youngest populations in the world and one of the lowest voter turnouts in its recent elections. That gap is exactly what a new campaign by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) says it wants to close.

This week, the ADC Youth Ambassadors opened a nationwide drive urging young Nigerians to sign up with the party and get ready for the 2027 general elections. The call came at a National Sensitisation of Voters and Mobilisation for Membership Registration programme in Bauchi, which drew youth leaders, women organisers, student representatives and local party hands from several states.

Honourable Ahmad Shehu Hassan, the group’s national convener, told the crowd that young people can’t afford to sit things out anymore. He framed the ADC as a home for first-time voters and restless reformers, saying the party is positioning itself to be a serious opposition force by 2027. His pitch was simple: join, get a stake, and then help decide the party’s direction and candidates.

Hassan’s message to the youth was blunt. He urged them to register with the party and, just as crucially, to ensure they are on the voters’ roll with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when registration windows open. He spoke to the realities young people face—rising prices, insecurity, and shrinking opportunities—arguing that the ballot box remains the most reliable way to push for change.

“Don’t sell your future for handouts,” he said, warning against being used as muscle during elections. He also called on youths to shun drugs, pursue education, and prepare to lead responsibly at ward level, not just online. The goal, he said, is to move energy from social media timelines to actual polling units.

At a separate event in Lagos, former Osun State governor and Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola—introduced as the ADC’s National Secretary—backed the youth push with a big promise: the party will reserve half of its elective and appointive slots for youths and women. The announcement came during an affirmation ceremony for new members defecting from the PDP, Labour Party and other groups.

Aregbesola said the party’s constitution already sets aside 35% of roles for women and another 35% for youths, creating a minimum of 50% inclusive representation when both groups are considered. He described it as more than a token gesture, saying it’s a recognition that giving underrepresented groups real power is essential if Nigeria wants better results.

Not everyone is buying it. The Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Idris Zakari, dismissed the effort as political theatre, describing the coalition around the ADC as “a coalition of failed politicians” trying to regain relevance. He urged young people to be careful about who they follow and to look beyond slogans to track records.

Behind the clash of messages is a bigger fight for the youth vote. INEC’s register in 2023 showed that young Nigerians (aged roughly 18–34) made up about four in ten registered voters. Yet overall turnout was the lowest since 1999. That’s the paradox: a huge youth population, a big slice of the register, but limited impact on outcomes. Parties know the math. If more young people join early, influence candidate lists, and actually show up on election day, they can shift results—especially in urban areas where close contests are decided by a few thousand votes.

For the ADC, this push is also about building structure. Small parties rarely break through without ward-level organisers, polling unit agents, and consistent ground game. The 2023 cycle showed how fast momentum can grow around a clear message and a candidate that younger voters see as their own. But it also showed the limits of enthusiasm without deep, well-trained structures across all local governments.

What does “50% inclusion” mean in practice? The promise sounds big, but the details will matter. The ADC says it allocates 35% of positions to women and 35% to youths. Since some young women fall into both categories, the figures overlap. In other words, it’s not 70% combined—it’s a commitment to ensure at least half of party roles are filled by women and/or youths. Whether that translates into winnable tickets, meaningful appointments, and funding for campaigns is what members will watch closely.

The party is also banking on a simple idea: if young people are in the room when decisions are made, campaign priorities will shift. Think policies that go beyond slogans—practical steps on jobs, vocational training, security in communities, startup financing, and reliable power. This is the checklist that usually decides whether new members stick around or drift away between election cycles.

Hassan’s campaign keeps returning to the same warning signs: high living costs, safety concerns, and poverty. These aren’t abstract problems for first-time voters. They show up in bus fares, rent, and the price of food, and in the fear that a degree won’t translate into a job. For many, politics only becomes interesting when it promises real fixes they can feel within a year, not five.

On the practical side, joining a political party and registering to vote are two different steps. Party membership generally involves filling out a form—often online or at your ward office—and getting a membership card or digital ID. Voter registration is handled by INEC. It happens in defined windows, usually before big elections and sometimes before off-cycle polls. If you’ve moved, lost your card, or never registered, you’ll need to wait for INEC to open the process, then complete biometrics and pick up your PVC.

Why is this coming now, with 2027 still some distance away? Because party primaries happen long before the general election. Candidate lists are shaped months in advance. By the time billboards go up, the key decisions are done. Youths who want a say in who ends up on the ballot need to be inside the party structure early—attending ward meetings, voting in congresses, and volunteering as polling agents and data officers.

There’s also a sober reality to the ADC’s ambition. To truly become a “formidable opposition,” the party will need more than sign-ups. It needs trusted local faces, coalition-building across regions, transparent primaries, and funding that reaches the grassroots. It also needs to protect votes—deploying trained agents, monitoring results, and backing up claims with evidence. Without those basics, even a large youth membership can get frustrated quickly.

Critics argue that big promises are easy and delivery is hard. Supporters counter that inclusion targets are a start, and a party willing to share half its positions with women and youths is at least putting its structure where its mouth is. Both things can be true. Young people will judge by what happens next: Are youths leading campaign councils? Do they head policy committees? Are female candidates getting safe seats, not just long-shot tickets?

For now, the ADC has picked a clear lane. It wants to be known as the party of young people and women, with a membership drive that spans campuses, tech hubs, markets, and community centres. The message is targeted at a generation that is tired of being told to “wait its turn.”

Whether that message sticks will come down to execution. Are registration desks showing up in wards, not just at city launches? Are organisers returning calls and following up with training schedules? Are party accounts open enough to build trust? All of this will influence whether the current wave becomes something bigger—or just another headline.

What young Nigerians can do now

If you’re thinking about getting involved, here’s a simple checklist. None of it requires special access. It’s about showing up early and often, so you’re not a spectator when the key calls are made.

• Confirm your voter status. If you’re not on the roll, watch for INEC’s next registration window and get your PVC sorted. If you moved, plan a transfer when it opens.
• Pick a party and sign up properly. Online forms are a start, but ward meetings are where influence is earned.
• Volunteer for real tasks. Polling unit agent, data entry, door-to-door canvassing—these roles shape outcomes.
• Join policy working groups. Push for concrete plans on jobs, skills, security, power, and small business finance.
• Track promises. If a party pledges 50% inclusion, ask for monthly updates on actual appointments and tickets.
• Stay safe and principled. Say no to violence and vote-buying. If you see wrongdoing, document and report.

It might sound idealistic, but this is how power shifts—in small, local steps that add up. Youth energy changed the tone of the last election cycle. With structure and patience, it can change results too.

For the ADC, the gamble is clear: convert attention into membership, convert membership into candidates, and convert candidates into votes. For young Nigerians, the bigger question remains: who is ready to hand them real power—and who only wants their applause?

One last note on language and labels: campaigns love buzzwords. The idea behind ADC youth mobilization will live or die by whether it puts young people in decision-making seats—before ballots are printed, not after results are announced.