2026 Youth Conference: Qualified but Marginalised Youths Take Minister To Court, Over Exclusion, Bias

Written by Godson Ikpontu

Lawyer and former National Youth Leader Maurice Oru Ebam, Esq., says qualified young Nigerians are being shut out of the national conversation because they lack powerful political connections, and he has gone to the Federal High Court, Abuja, to demand answers from the Minister of Youth Development.

"Should qualified young people be denied a fair opportunity to participate because they lack powerful political connections?" the statement asks. Ebam is challenging the administration of the 2026 National Youth Confab by the Honourable Minister of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and has announced an alternative gathering for 11 November.

The proceedings include an application for judicial review and a request for an order of mandamus. The grounds cited include Sections 6(6)(b) and 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, subject to applicable procedural and jurisdictional requirements. 

The challenge raises concerns about the exercise of administrative discretion, the principles governing access to the Confab and whether the stated commitment to inclusion and non-partisanship is reflected in the selection of participants. The legal questions remain subject to the judicial process and any determination by the court.

According to Ebam, the Minister has described the Confab as an inclusive, non-partisan national platform for young Nigerians aged 18 to 35. Born on 3 October 1992, he falls within that bracket as of the date of the announcement. He points to his experience in youth leadership, political party administration and legal advocacy as grounds for expecting fair consideration. 

Ebam is a former National Youth Leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), a former Interim Chairman and National Legal Adviser of the Forum of National Youth Leaders of Political Parties in Nigeria, National Legal Adviser of Nigerian Youths in Politics, and Chairman of the ADC Cross River State Disciplinary Committee.

He argues that a genuinely inclusive national platform should not leave qualified youth stakeholders feeling that political affiliation or access to powerful sponsors determines their opportunity to participate. While he believes his experience and eligibility warrant fair consideration, he acknowledged that the legal questions remain subject to the judicial process.

"I represent the sons and daughters of nobody," Ebam said. 

"I represent the young Nigerians who have qualifications, ideas, experience and the desire to contribute to national development but are often overlooked because they have no political godfather."

"We are told that the future belongs to the youth. Yet, when platforms are created to discuss that future, many young people find themselves asking whether their voices truly matter," he said. "Why should a qualified young Nigerian have to know somebody before somebody recognises their qualifications? Why should political connections matter more than the principles of fairness, transparency and inclusion?"

He added: "I refuse to believe that the absence of a godfather should become a barrier to participation in our national life. We are the underdogs. We may not have the strongest connections, but we have ideas, experience, courage and the right to be heard. We shall continue to demand fairness through lawful and democratic means until our voices are heard."

Ebam called on the Ministry of Youth Development to clarify the criteria for participation and ensure that the selection process is transparent and consistent with the stated objectives of the Confab.

"The purpose of a national youth platform should be to bring young Nigerians together, not to create the impression that access belongs only to those who are politically connected," he said. "These are legitimate questions about public administration and youth representation. They deserve transparent answers."

The National Youth Alternative Confab 2026, billed as the Underdogs' Summit and themed "Rise of the Underdogs," will hold on 11 November 2026 at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja, under the motto "We Shall Emerge!" The gathering is aimed at amplifying the voices of young Nigerians who believe they have been excluded from opportunities for meaningful participation.