National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement worldwide, Tanko Yunusa, has stressed the need for Nigerian youths to rally behind credible leaders to rescue the country from its current socio-economic and political challenges.
Yunusa, who spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, highlighted the importance of participating in mainstream politics rather than operating from the sidelines.
“No matter how you look at it, the younger generation—especially those who supported Peter Obi—have been able to mobilise themselves and even checkmate Obi himself.
“They are saying, ‘Yes, we need to gain power to be able to do what we preach.’ If you remain on the outside corridor of power, you will continue to agitate and continue to advocate, and that is where it stops,” he said.
Yunusa defended the coalition involving Obi and other established politicians, stating that gaining political power requires collaboration, even with those whose past performances had been questioned.
“I agree that so many people in the coalition must have disappointed this country, and some of them equally have a lot of questions to answer.
“But I have come to an irreversible conclusion that you cannot be preaching something and expect to deliver it from outside. You can only execute what you preach when you have power in your hands,” he said.
He, therefore, called for a more pragmatic approach to nation-building, warning that idealism without practical political participation would yield little.
“This is politics; it is a game of numbers. Use your ideas, connect them with the ideas of the older generation whom you accuse. Turn those into new, positive wine so that you can give room for the younger generation to take over.
“How many years have we been on that same pedestal with negative results? Now, we have an opportunity and an inroad,” Yunusa said.
Defending Obi’s involvement in the coalition, Yunusa explained that the Labour Party presidential candidate was not compromising his ideals, but rather joining forces with others who were determined to rescue Nigeria.
“Peter Obi is simply aligning with leaders who are saying enough is enough. Nigerians cannot continue to live in hunger, insecurity, and failed business environments,” he said.
“If that is the basis, then we are championing that particular cause. It’s not by deviating and insisting we’ll remain on the streets shouting ‘aluta’. “Let’s come together and change the territorial waters of this country.
“Yes, there are problems, but we must come together as a team to solve them. If we remain the way we are, we may never get it right. Let us identify credible persons and rescue Nigeria. It cannot be done outside the circle,” he stated.
Yunusa’s comments came days after several opposition figures converged under a new coalition platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Last Wednesday, coalition leaders met at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, where they formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their political vehicle.
At the event, ADC’s Ralph Nwosu handed over the party’s leadership to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, who were introduced as interim national chairman and national secretary, respectively.
Other prominent politicians at the event included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party’s Peter Obi; former governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi; Dino Melaye; Dele Momodu; Solomon Dalung; Senator Gabriel Suswam; Senator Ireti Kingibe; Emeka Ihedioha; and retired Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
