…As Presidency’s Youth Inclusion Strategy Earns IYC Praise Ahead of 2027
By: Odieh Ramon, Yenagoa.
The appointment of Prince Iwefa Aganaba, African Special Envoy on Youth of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), as Member of the Finance/Treasury Directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has been described as a clear demonstration of the youth-friendly and inclusive governance of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
This strategic appointment is more than a list; it is a statement. It signals that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is deliberately building a bridge between experience and youthful competence, between national politics and global youth diplomacy.
Prince Aganaba, appointed as African Special Envoy on Youth in October 2024 by the UN-WCD, brings to the Council a rare blend of continental youth advocacy, international diplomatic exposure, financial acumen and grassroots connection to the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation. His inclusion affirms President Tinubu’s belief that credible, competent young Nigerians must not be mere spectators in governance, but must be at the centre of planning, financing and execution.
Congratulating him, Prince Tonye Princewill, former spokesperson of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), described Prince Iwefa Aganaba’s appointment as Member of the Finance/Treasury Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council as recognition of his competence, leadership and growing influence.
He said Aganaba’s emergence is a proud moment for the Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta, and proof that the region is endowed with intelligent, visionary youths capable of contributing to national development.
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, youth inclusion has moved from slogan to structure. From cabinet appointments to campaign leadership, the President has shown uncommon faith in the capacity of young Nigerians. The appointment of credible youths like Prince Aganaba to the sensitive Finance/Treasury Directorate, the engine room of any campaign, proves that competence, not cronyism, defines this administration.
Prince Aganaba represents the new generation of Niger Delta leaders: educated, exposed, entrepreneurial and committed to national unity. His emergence validates the fact that the region offers not only natural resources but also exceptional human capital ready to contribute to nation-building.
His role as African Special Envoy on Youth also gives the APC Presidential Campaign Council an added international outlook. It connects the campaign’s economic messaging to global conversations on youth employment, innovation, education and climate justice, key priorities for over 70% of Nigeria’s population under the age of 35.
Elections are won by parties that listen to their largest voting bloc. By deliberately integrating respected youth voices with continental and global legitimacy into its core finance structure, the APC under President Tinubu is consolidating the trust of Nigerian youths and positioning itself for a decisive victory at the 2027 presidential polls. This is how a winning coalition is built — inclusive, competent and future-focused.
Stakeholders have expressed confidence that Aganaba will bring strategic thinking and commitment to excellence to the role and urged him to use the platform to deepen youth participation in governance.
Appointed as African Special Envoy on Youth in October 2024, his global role gives his leadership a continental outlook and bridges youth advocacy with political participation.
According to observers, the combination of global youth diplomacy and national campaign responsibility underscores the need for young leaders who can engage beyond borders and articulate the aspirations of their generation.
The appointment, they noted, should inspire Ijaw and Niger Delta youths to pursue excellence and position themselves for leadership at local, national and global levels.
While congratulating him, stakeholders further urged Aganaba to remain humble, accessible and committed to youth empowerment, adding that the Niger Delta is not only rich in natural resources but also in exceptional human capital.
We congratulate Prince Iwefa Aganaba on this well-deserved appointment and commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his continued commitment to youth mainstreaming in governance.
The message is clear: Under President Tinubu, young Nigerians will not just inherit the future; they will co-create and co-finance it.
