The senatorial candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) for the 2027 Oyo South senatorial district election and sitting member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Olajide Odidiomo, has called for a decisive, institutional partnership between the government and young citizens, declaring firmly that technology is the new currency driving the global modern economy.
Speaking to a packed audience of youth leaders and grassroots organisations at the Secretariat in Ibadan, the federal lawmaker urged political leaders to abandon short-term political patronage in favour of broad-based digital skills development Nigeria needs to remain competitive.
Why Technology Is the New Currency for Oyo Youths
Addressing participants at the Oyo State 2026 Youth Stakeholders’ Engagement and Interactive Forum, Hon. Olajide Odidiomo outlined a clear shift in how political leaders must approach Oyo State youth empowerment. The engagement brought together registered youth organisations across the state to deliberate on economic survival, employment pathways, and meaningful political participation as the country moves towards the crucial 2027 general elections.
According to Hon. Adedeji Olajide Odidiomo, the rapid integration of technology across every modern industrial sector leaves the state with no option but to bridge the severe technological divide isolating young citizens from emerging international markets. He stressed that the fundamental challenge before policymakers is no longer simply urging young people to look for traditional jobs, but actively training them to become digital creators, tech entrepreneurs, and self-sufficient employers.
“Technology is the new currency,” he said, stressing that access to digital knowledge and tools could determine whether young Nigerians became beneficiaries or victims of the rapidly changing economic environment.
He added that sustained, direct investment in digital education, local tech hubs, and youth entrepreneurship remains vital to securing a sustainable future for the state’s rising generation.
APM Pledges a New Social Pact in 2027 Oyo South Senatorial District Election
Outlining his legislative vision, the APM candidate declared that his party is preparing a direct social contract with the younger demographic across Ibadan and the wider senatorial district. He reassured the audience that young citizens will not serve as peripheral foot soldiers, but will form the core operational hub of the party’s governance roadmap.
“APM is here to make a pact with the youths of Oyo state,” adding that youth development was not an afterthought but a priority embedded in the party’s manifesto.
Hon. Olajide Odidiomo insisted that genuine political leadership must transcend mere campaign speeches and irregular handouts. Instead, governance requires structural policies and targeted state programmes that help young people acquire market-relevant skills, gain cheap internet and hardware access, and compete comfortably in an international, remote-first workplace.
Proven Legislative Track Record in Digital Skills Development Nigeria
Drawing directly from his ongoing tenure in the National Assembly, Odidiomo argued that his legislative focus has consistently prioritized young people over political convenience. Over the past seven years, his constituency interventions have focused heavily on practical economic tools rather than temporary relief measures.
The lawmaker disclosed that his initiatives have directly equipped more than 2,000 young citizens with personal laptops, while over 2,000 additional beneficiaries have completed rigorous technical bootcamps in software skills alongside seed funding support.
He emphasized that these programmes were designed deliberately to build long-term capacity rather than offer fleeting political favours. Access to personal hardware, structured tech courses, and small business capital opens realistic pathways into global freelancing, software engineering, digital marketing, and remote employment outside the squeezed local job market.
Sustainable Empowerment Versus Cash Handouts
Taking direct aim at traditional political practices, the lawmaker drew a sharp line between long-term human capital development and the widespread practice of sharing small cash tokens during political cycles.
“While others are busy sharing money in the market, I am empowering the future of our youths to prepare them for a better tomorrow.”
He declared that true public representation must always be evaluated by an official’s willingness to build lasting human infrastructure rather than distributing short-lived political favours that vanish immediately after an election cycle ends.
