The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has said that the resilience of youth can affect positive democratic changes, judging from what happened in Senegal.
According to the TMG, the enthusiasm of the youth of Senegal to effect their democratic process was sharply highlighted in the build up to the election, adding that it saw young people across the divides rally around the youthful party and youthful representation spearheaded by the charismatic Ousmane Sonko.
An assessment report of the Senegal Election issued by the chairman, TMG, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, said it is the massive support as demonstrated by the youth without resorting to politics of identity on the basis of ethnicity, tribalism or religion that paved the way for the emergence of 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye as president-elect from the March 24 election.
“This represents a wake-up call to youths in Nigeria and ECOWAS to unite above identity politics to positively affect changes in their country’s politics.
“Free, fair, credible elections are a possibility in Nigeria and other ECOWAS countries – Some of the obvious reasons for the failure of democracy in West Africa so far include its tendency to never conduct elections devoid of rancour of irregularities and logistic failure.
“As has been demonstrated in Senegal, even within the shortest time possible for election preparation, the country has successfully conducted a presidential election that is widely adjudged as peaceful, free, fair and transparent, and reflecting the wider wishes of the larger population.
“As TMG extends its congratulations to the people of Senegal on the exemplary display of democratic process, its successful conduct of the presidential election, and indeed the emergence of the youngest president in the country’s history, it is also imperative to call on the authorities and people of Nigeria to learn greatly from the numerous lessons, apply same and advance the democratic process in the country.
“Senegal has shown that democracy in West Africa can be sustained and strengthened on the collective will of the masses,” the group added.