The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has reacted to remark made by former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida concerning what qualities Nigeria’s next president should possess.
AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima, said Babangida’s remark to have a youth as Nigeria’s president in 2023 is timely and commendable.
WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that Babangida suggested that individuals in their 60s should be the focus of Nigerians as potential presidential candidates in 2023.
Shettima made this known in a statement, adding that Babangida has demonstrated his commitment to democracy in Nigeria.
He urged other elder statesmen to toll the 79-year-old retired general’s step regarding Nigeria’s next president.
Shettima 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 in all elder statesmen to cue behind IBB for the good of this nation”.
According to him, Babangida spoken the minds of millions of Nigerians who have been quietly disturbed by, “the political culture of recycling old, tired citizens as presidents of the nation”.
He alleged that current stagnation afflicting the country is partly as a result of recycling old citizens as president.
“We’re 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’re calling in 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”, he said.
He 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”.