President Bola Tinubu has been encouraged by the South-West Youth Forum to reject requests from former governors to be recruited as ministers in his cabinet.
The Forum added that there are rumours that many of the nation’s most recent governors are vying for appointments to various ministerial positions.
However, the Forum encouraged President Tinubu to pick technocrats who are willing to leave positive legacies as ministers instead of less qualified candidates.
In a statement signed by the forum’s chairman, Foluso Àjimuda, on Tuesday in Abuja, the group noted, “The Forum wishes to reiterate that such advances from these governors should be ignored. It is on record that this crop of governors plundered their respective states and plunged the states into humongous debts – domestic and foreign.
“It is glaring that most of these past governors ruin government business without adequate plan, concept or blueprint. They are just after changing portfolios from the chief executive officer of the state to minister or senator.
“As governors, they had the opportunity to serve the people but they ended up serving themselves and their cohort alone with track records riddled with failed promises, corruption, and inefficiency.”
Lamenting further, Àjimuda pointed out that one wonders why issues of access, quality, inclusion, and system strengthening are prevalent across the states of the federation, adding that youth unemployment is also a critical factor that calls for the attention of a serious government.
He maintained that economically, there is always a multiplier effect of the growing population, which offers potential for growth if resources are adequately harnessed.
While expressing optimism in the President, he stressed, “We do not doubt the President’s ability not to only defend over 220 million Nigerians but to also make lives bearable and affordable to ordinary Nigerians.
“We are confident that your experience in the public sector and track record in human resources management will be reflected in your ministerial nominees.”