National chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Sadiq Gombe, has urged Nigerian youths to play a decisive role in shaping the country’s future by voting for leaders with proven integrity, competence and character rather than along ethnic, religious or regional lines.
Gombe made the call in Abuja on Monday while receiving a delegation of the Arewa Students Forum (ASF), which conferred on him the title of Grand Commander of the Arewa Students Forum (GCASF) and inducted him into the organisation’s Hall of Fame as a patron in recognition of what it described as his selfless service to humanity.
Addressing the students, Gombe said leadership begins with character, stressing that academic qualifications alone were insufficient without integrity.
“Character comes before learning. Many people possess impressive academic qualifications, yet their conduct does not reflect the values education is meant to instil. Character is the foundation of individual greatness, community development and national progress,” he said.
He urged the students to use their influence to mobilise eligible young Nigerians to participate in elections, saying the country’s future depends on the choices made today.
“We have no other country but Nigeria. Go back to your campuses and communities and encourage those who are eligible to vote. Let us elect leaders who will take Nigeria to the Promised Land, not those who will continue to hold our nation back,” he said.
The SDP chairman said the forum’s large membership could become a significant force in Nigeria’s democracy if mobilised around a common purpose.
Referring to the 2023 presidential election, Gombe noted that the margin between the winner and the runner-up showed how an organised voting bloc could influence electoral outcomes.
He also advised the students to rise above ethnic, religious, regional and political sentiments when making leadership choices, insisting that competence and integrity should remain the overriding considerations.
Earlier, National President of the Arewa Students Forum, Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi, said the organisation honoured Gombe based on merit and his longstanding contributions to education, youth development and humanitarian service.
He said the forum, a non-governmental and non-partisan body with over 2.1 million members across the 19 northern states, the Federal Capital Territory and the diaspora, promotes peace, leadership development and career guidance while also carrying out humanitarian interventions in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and correctional centres.
According to Abdullahi, the award was reserved for individuals who had demonstrated exceptional commitment to serving humanity with integrity and excellence.
Also speaking, the SDP’s South-East vice chairman, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, described Gombe as a “servant leader” whose humility and people-centred leadership distinguished him from many public office holders.
He commended the students for recognising the SDP chairman, saying the honour reflected the quality of leadership the party seeks to promote in Nigeria.
