Oyo State governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem (AKK), on Thursday called on Nigerian youths to deepen grassroots participation in governance and party politics, declaring that young people must move from being “campaign foot soldiers” to “intellectual architects” of democratic development.
Dr. Kareem made the call while delivering a keynote address as Chairman of the 2026 Progressive Youth Ambassadors (PYA) South-West Summit, held on January 22, 2026, at the Y-Arena Multipurpose Centre, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. The summit was themed “Strengthening Grassroots Participation in Advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Addressing a gathering of youth leaders, party stakeholders and progressives from across the South-West, Kareem traced Nigeria’s democratic evolution from the colonial legislative councils of the 1920s through the First, Second and aborted Third Republics, to the Fourth Republic which began in 1999. He described the current democratic era as Nigeria’s longest uninterrupted civilian rule, noting that it was built on the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists and political leaders who resisted military dictatorship.
He paid tribute to late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and other democracy advocates, as well as civil society groups such as NADECO, whose struggles, he said, laid the foundation for the country’s democratic rebirth.
Speaking on party politics, Kareem described the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013 as a “political miracle,” noting that it marked the first time major opposition parties voluntarily merged to challenge a ruling party in Africa. He acknowledged the roles played by APC leaders and founding figures, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Bisi Akande, Ogbonnaya Onu, and others, whom he said demonstrated resilience, ideological clarity and unity of purpose.
According to him, the APC has survived internal challenges and leadership transitions over the past decade because of its shared progressive ideology rather than the pursuit of power alone. He cited the party’s ability to resolve internal disputes, manage leadership changes and recover from electoral setbacks as evidence of its institutional strength.
Kareem emphasized that youths have remained central to the party’s growth and electoral successes, highlighting their roles in grassroots mobilisation, voter registration drives, campaign organisation and policy advocacy. He noted that youth participation was instrumental to the APC’s victories, particularly in recent election cycles.
Turning to governance, the Oyo APC governorship hopeful praised the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating space for young professionals in leadership. He pointed to several youthful members of the Federal Executive Council and presidential aides, noting their contributions in areas such as digital innovation, internal security, creative economy, youth development, energy reforms and technology transfer.
He argued that the increasing presence of young technocrats in government reflects a global trend of youth inclusion in leadership, adding that Nigeria’s experience aligns with international examples where younger leaders have driven innovation and reform.
Dr. Kareem urged members of the Progressive Youth Ambassadors and other youth groups within the APC to intensify grassroots engagement by participating actively in ward meetings, voter registration exercises and community forums. He stressed the importance of door-to-door mobilisation, issue-based advocacy and sustained engagement with local communities.
He also encouraged youths to articulate and promote the achievements of the Tinubu administration at the grassroots, citing policies and programmes in education financing, consumer credit, infrastructure development, agriculture, transportation and digital skills acquisition as examples of reforms requiring effective communication at community level.
According to him, the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda depends not only on policies formulated in Abuja but also on how effectively they are understood and embraced by ordinary Nigerians.
Kareem further challenged the South-West to maintain its historical role as the intellectual and strategic backbone of the progressive movement, recalling the region’s contributions to the formation and growth of the APC.
In a rousing conclusion, the APC chieftain told the youths that Nigeria’s future rests largely in their hands, urging them to seize the moment, embrace responsibility and work collectively to strengthen democracy and national development.
The summit ended with goodwill messages and reaffirmation of commitment to youth participation in governance ahead of future electoral contests, including the 2027 general elections.
