YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLITICS: EXAMINING YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS IN BILLIRI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF GOMBE STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

A democratic nation must prioritize youth participation in politics in order to guarantee that the opinions and voices of the next generation are heard and taken into account when making decisions that will affect the country's future.. In Nigeria, like many other countries, the level of youth involvement in politics has been a subject of significant concern and interest. However, the youth played a significant role in the struggle for independence and the development of the new nation. A person who is between the ages of 18 and 35 is considered a youth under the constitution. It is uncommon to see anyone under 35 in official leadership roles in politics (Berinsky, A. and Lenz, 2019). According to Buck (2019), in a third of the world's countries, it is customary to refer to politicians as "young" if they are under the age of 35 or 40. Buck also claims that eligibility for the national parliament begins at age 25 or older. Nonetheless, formal political structures and procedures including parliaments, political parties, elections, and public administrations do not sufficiently reflect youth. The National Bureau of Statistics in the 2012 National Baseline Youth Survey disclosed that the population of youths (15 – 35 years) in Nigeria is estimated to be 64 Million. Using the baseline of the total population of Nigerian at the National Population Census 2006, youth population in Nigeria is put at 60 per cent(Elaigwu J. Isawa 2005).However, despite youth constituting to more than 60 percent of the nation's population, Nigerian youth have historically had limited formal engagement in both the electoral and political spheres. On the other hand, there has been a growing recognition of the need to involve youth in politics. Furthermore, youth participation in politics can therefore be mobilized at the personal or group level, which is youth groups in schools, churches, mosques, age grades, street youths, town youths, State, National, and International etc( UNDP, 2012). Nowadays, social media is very important and plays a big part in Nigeria and most other regions of the world in youth orientation and mobilization. Also, political leaders, civil society organizations, and the international community have increasingly emphasized the importance of youth participation as a means to promote democratic governance and sustainable development. Furthermore, parent political parties have often mobilized youth wings to strengthen their coercive strategies. It has also become common for young people outside party structures to receive bribes from politicians to disrupt the political and electoral processes or provide them with an unfair advantage.

Similarly, despite these challenges, the formal political participation of young people has shown improvement. According to Hariton, (2017), there has been a noticeable increase in their participation, particularly as voters since 2010, following the enactment of the new constitution and the implementation of youth-related legislation. However, it's worth noting that some recent efforts to enhance youth political involvement as outlined in the National Youth Policy have faced controversies and allegations of political manipulation and corruption. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to assess youth participation in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State between 2019 - 2023.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Over the years, Nigerian youth participation in politics has faced a number of challenges, including political being excluded, limited access to resources, and a dearth of platforms for substantive political dialogue. These difficulties have exacerbated youth disenchantment and disengagement, particularly in the political sphere. Furthermore, threats, violence, and intimidation are commonplace for young people attempting to participate in politics, which deters them from becoming actively involved. Similarly, many young people lack the financial means to launch political campaigns or join established political parties, making it difficult to compete on an equal footing. Furthermore, despite the youths being positioned as future leaders, their active involvement in politics remain limited, hindering the realization of a robust democratic landscape in Gombe state. Also, the underrepresentation of youth in key political roles contrasts with the demographic reality of a sizable youth population. This discrepancy raises concerns about the efficacy of electoral processes and the fulfillment of the nation's democratic potential. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to assess youth participation in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State between 2019 - 2023.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to an assess youth participation in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State between 2019 - 2023. Specifically, the study will;

1.Determine level of youth participation in politics in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State between 2019 - 2023.

2.Ascertain the factors which affected youth involvement in politics between 2019 - 2023 in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State.

3 Identify the implications of inadequate youth participation in politics between 2019 - 2023 in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

1. What is the level of youth participation in politics in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State between 2019 - 2023?

2. What are the factors which affected youth involvement in politics between 2019 - 2023 in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State?

3. What are the implications of inadequate youth participation in politics between 2019 - 2023 in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State?

1.5 Significant of the Study

The findings will be enlighten political candidates and activists the need to disseminate information about their platforms, policies, campaign events, and achievements. Further more, to the media houses, it will provide a platform for spreading awareness about political issues, mobilizing support, and engaging with a wide audience. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regards to an assessment youth participation in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on an assessment youth participation in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State. Geographically, the study will be delimited to youths in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Politics: the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power.

Youth:  the state of being young.

Participation: the action of taking part in something/ election.

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