The Youth on Ground Progressive and Mentorship Initiative (YOG) has declared an end to the era of “political thuggery” for Nigeria’s youth, announcing a nationwide mobilisation strategy to reposition young people as active stakeholders in governance rather than disposable electoral tools. Speaking at the organization’s maiden world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, just 24 hours after International Youth Day, the group’s Founder and National Coordinator, Dr. Obioma Nwuba, emphasized that the initiative is committed to dismantling the long-standing trend of political exploitation. Dr. Nwuba criticized the common political culture where Nigerian youths are “summoned into politics only as thugs, as ballot-box protectors, or as an afterthought at election time, only to be discarded once the votes are counted.” “The Youth on Ground Initiative rejects that pattern,” Nwuba stated. “We are not a fleeting political convenience; we are a structured, values-driven movement built on the conviction that Nigeria’s youth—who constitute over seventy per cent of our population—must move from the margins of governance to the center of nation-building.” To achieve this shift, the organization is anchoring its operations on four strategic pillars which include active participation in governance, influencing decision-making processes, fostering unity at the community level and driving self-sufficiency through mentorship. The group, which formally launched in November 2025, aims to serve as the “grassroots delivery arm” for the federal government. Dr. Nwuba argued that the administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda cannot be sustained through policy documents alone, but must be felt in rural markets, farms, and workshops. The YOG has already begun operationalizing this mandate across the country including conducted training and empowerment programs in Taraba and Niger states, with a major Northwest zonal training scheduled for Kaduna on September 5, 2026. The group also executed free malaria and typhoid eradication drives in the Federal Capital Territory, with upcoming medical outreaches planned for Anambra State. Addressing the Federal Government and APC governors, Dr. Nwuba urged the leadership to formally partner with YOG to bridge the gap between national policy and local productivity. “Mr. President, you have given us the vision; give us the vehicle,” he appealed. “You cannot win 2027 with manifestos alone; you win it with grassroots mobilization. Ten million organized youths are ten million votes, ten million voices, and ten million defenders of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
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