2023: We’ll resist recycling old, sick, unproductive persons to lead Nigeria – Youths group
by Peregba Jerry
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has described as timely and commendable the call by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, to have a young person as Nigeria’s president in 2023. It also warned that it would resist having another old, weak and sick leader in 2023.
Tarakirivoice reports that the former military president, Friday, has opined that the next president of Nigeria should be in his 60s in terms of age and a proactive leader.
In a statement signed by its national president, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the AYCF noted that the former president had spoken the minds of millions of Nigerians who had been quietly disturbed by “the political culture of recycling old, tired citizens as presidents of the nation,” saying this was partly responsible for the current stagnation afflicting the country.
The Northern youths said: “Former President IBB has proved that he is committed to genuine democracy and demonstrated patriotism with this proposition of injecting fresh blood into the democratic space of today’s Nigeria.
“We call on all elder statesmen to queue behind IBB for the good of this nation. “We are all aware that in terms of leadership/governance globally, the trend is having young, healthy and intellectually vibrant young people at the helm of affairs.
“We are calling on all political parties in the country to shun the culture of recycling old and incompetent candidates for the nation’s presidency because the youth will no longer support that dangerous trend anymore.”
The group explained that the era of having old people holding the reigns in Nigeria should belong to the past and “anyone who thinks this stagnation should continue should perish that negative thought.”
It said: “Going forward, the AYCF will never allow the recycling of old, weak and sick citizens as leaders of this nation, more so in a fast-changing and competitive world.
“Much as democracy gives everyone the right to contest for any elective office, it does not encourage the emergence of tired, weak, politically compromised, sick and overly unproductive persons as leaders of this modern society.”
