SHOWDOWN PRESS RELEASE

YOUTH OPEN A NEW CHAPTER IN REVOLUTIONARY ELECTORAL ADVOCACY AS RISE NETWORKS LAUNCHES DAILY PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHANNELS TELEVISION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
For Immediate Release:
A leading Youth Development Firm in Nigeria, RISE Networks has concluded plans for a Television Program tagged Nigeria's 2011 Elections SHOWDOWN with the slogan, "anything about without us is not for us" to be aired on Channels daily at 3.15pm - 4pm on weekdays from March 14th till April 22nd.
The focus of the Program is for Young Nigerians to match advocacy with action through a peaceful revolutionary platform and the pivotal role of RISE is to inform and enlighten young people on their fundamental rights as major determinants of winners and losers in the electoral process while also demanding accountability from elected office holders at all Levels of Government. The ignominious state of Nigeria as a Nation of educated illiterates, Jobless Graduates, Crime, poverty and an unstable economy is as a result of the hitherto abysmal failure of Leadership in Nigeria and its attendant saddening impact on the citizenry, especially the most significant voting bloc, the Youth who form 55percent of the entire Nation's population. Speaking in Lagos at a World Press Briefing in the week, Toyosi Akerele, the Executive Director of RISE Networks explained to Press men that one of the major purposes for conceptualizing and hosting the Television Program is to institutionalize credible and accountable Leadership at all levels of Government through Mass Sensitization using all available Media, online and offline, local and international. She added that Rise has impactful and massive presence in about 15 Nigerian States across all the 6 geo-political zones and they will leverage on this advantage to deploy relevant electoral and advocacy information to all classes of young people in various communities in the Country. While responding to some of the questions posed by Youth Stakeholders present at the press briefing.

STRATEGIC PLAN
SHOWDOWN
Focus: Young Nigerians match advocacy with action

What, Why and How?
Inform and enlighten young people on their fundamental rights
Demand accountability from elected office holders at all Levels of Government

What is the Issue?
Nigeria's Failed Leadership

What is the Vision of Showdown?
To institutionalize credible and accountable Leadership at all levels of Government through Mass Sensitization using all available Media, local and international
Scrolling on-screen during the Show
 Blackberry PIN: 21676f3E
 Follow us on Twitter #RiseSuper
 Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/risegroup
 Youtube: www.youtube.com/rise
 Skype:
 Website: www.risenetworks.org/showdown
 Send Comments on the program and vote for your Presidential Candidate by Sms to short Code .

ANNOUNCEMENTS DURING THE SHOW:
Ways you can be part of SHOWDOWN:
 Participate in our Election Poll. Go to www.risenetworks.org/showdown and vote for who you will want to be Nigeria's President. You can also vote through by sending us sms through our short code. Daily Results will be announced and shown on Channels Television
 We will like to invite objective and change driven Young persons who are non-partisan as Discussants with some of the Presidential candidates on the Program, if you are interested, send a mail containing your name, phone, state of residence to info@risenetworks.org. Please note that if you are coming on the Show from outside Lagos, you will have to take responsibility for your travel and accommodation expense.
 We need your inputs and ideas on anti-rigging measures to be implemented during the forthcoming elections
 For your Showdown Advocacy Materials, rush to www.risenetworks.org/showdown or call 0706.054.5017, 0706.054.5018 or email rise@risenetworks.org or info@risenetworks.org
 Use SHOWDOWN LOGO as your Blackberry, Facebook and twitter profile photos and status updates.
 As at today, apart from Channels Television as our Lead Sponsor who donated our Airtime for this Program completely free of charge for 30 straight days and other supporting Media Firms such as bellanaija.com, Lindaikeji.blogspot, The Nation and The Sun who have donated full pages for our daily analysis and reviews, we haven't received and financial contribution from any Corporate Entity nor Individual as yet. We need young people to join forces with us and donate their services and expertise to showdown in any little way possible. Thank You!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.