The Minister of Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalung, Wednesday,
inaugurated the third session of the Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP), urging
them to resist any attempt by the political class to manipulate them.
NYP came into being in 2008 with the first session inaugurated
by the then President Umaru Musa Ya’Adua on 25 August 2008 with sole aim of
preparing Nigerian youth in a decision making process while according them
adequate representation in governance.
At the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Dalung described as sad
the involvement of the youths in the ongoing ‘drama of embarrassment’ in the
National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), saying they are now active
participants in bringing shame and disgrace to Nigeria.
“The Nigerian youth must desist from offering themselves from
cheap manipulation. If those manipulating us believe in us, then, they should
invest in us, not using us for their selfish interest.
“After
the inauguration today you all must purge yourself from the ‘ebola’ of
manipulations and come back to your senses. If I have collected money back in
our days I doubt if I would have been given the opportunity to be Minister of
Youth today.
“I challenge all youth leaders gathered
here that after this session they should go back and reorganize themselves, and
I am ready to be part of them,” he said.