Edo youth parliament Speaker resigns over poor support

File; Speaker of the Edo State Youth Parliament, Fawaz Muhammad

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The Speaker of the Edo State Youth Parliament, Prince Fawaz Muhammad, on Tuesday resigned his position over what he described as worsening conditions of young people.

Muhammad, who represents Etsako West Constituency, emerged as Speaker on July 30, 2024, in the second assembly of the Parliament.

However, in a statement released on Tuesday, Muhammad accused the authorities of sidelining youths and abandoning the vision that led to the creation of the Youth Parliament.

He said the institution had been running on the sacrifices of its members without corresponding government support, describing the situation as a betrayal of young people’s expectations.

The statement read, “I am stepping down from my position as the Speaker of the Youth Parliament in Edo State.

“For me, the authorities have sidelined the youths and abandoned the vision that birthed the Youth Parliament.

“The institution has been running on the sacrifices of its members without corresponding government support.

“The situation is a betrayal of young people’s expectations. Young people are losing confidence in good governance and their issues are pushed to the background and treated as an afterthought.”

Muhammad also criticised what he called a culture of silence within governance structures, saying leadership must confront uncomfortable truths rather than bow to political convenience.

He stated that his conscience would not allow him to remain the ceremonial head of a Parliament whose foundations, he said, had grown weak while governance actors “look the other way”.

The former Speaker expressed gratitude to his colleagues and parliamentary officials, acknowledging their resilience in keeping the institution alive despite “hostile conditions”.

The PUNCH reported that the Speaker had previously encouraged youths to back the government while urging authorities to introduce programmes that would improve their welfare.

Speaking on the 2024 International Youth Day, he urged young people to take responsibility as innovators, leaders and problem-solvers, stressing that their choices would shape the future they build.

He said, “Edo youths are not passengers in the journey of history; we are drivers of change. The future we desire is not a distant dream; it begins with the choices we make today.

“Our Parliament exists to amplify this voice and to remind every young person that they matter.”

He stated that the lack of government support ultimately led to his resignation.

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