Youth initiative launches campaign to boost voter turnout

A non-profit organisation in the North West, Golden Star Initiative, has launched a campaign to promote massive mobilisation of voters for the 2023 general elections.

Speaking at the project launch in Katsina, the executive director, Dr Anas Sanusi Gusau, said the campaign called ‘Shun voter apathy, I pledge to vote’ is a project that is set to mobilise young voters to collect their PVCs and vote in the 2023 general elections.

He said: “The project focuses on Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, and Zamfara and ultimately targets increasing voter turnout in 2023 general elections by mobilising 60 per cent of young registered voters to participate in the electoral process.” 

Also speaking, the project officer for Katsina State, Ismail Bello, said: “Reversing the trend of low participation requires a context-specific citizens’ mobilisation strategy premised on innovation, inclusion, collaboration and consistent targeted actions.

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Youth initiative launches campaign to boost voter turnout

“The decline is attributed to distrust in the electoral process, inaccuracies in the voter register, poor voter mobilisation, threats of violence, bad governance, militarisation of election, among other factors.”

The programme launch was attended by representatives from the police, INEC, IPAC, civil defence, NDLEA, CSOs, among others.

Golden Star is implementing the programme along with LEAP Africa through the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) and funded by MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation.