Ahead of the presidential election, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said Nigerian youth won’t allow presidential aspirants above 60 years of age to rule the country.
Fayemi, who is also the governor of Ekiti state, called on the youth to launch themselves into the Nigerian political terrain in the 2023 general elections and dictate who becomes president and governors of the 36 states.
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For now, 69-year-old former Governor of Lagos state and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is being speculated to have his eyes on the nation’s number one seat.
Call on Tinubu
Various groups, including South-West Agenda (SWAG) – the one led by a former minister, Mr Dayo Adeyeye – have been canvassing Tinubu presidency, saying he is very qualified to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
SWAGA had, at different times, visited prominent monarchs in the South-west, including the Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II and the Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, to drum up support for Tinubu candidacy in 2023.
On Tinubu’s competence, the former minister said: “All along, we have said that Tinubu didn’t ask us to commence this sensitisation project. We are only sensitising people on the merits of his candidacy. We are making people know why he is eminently qualified to lead this country at a time like this.
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“We, a group of like-minded people comprising people who have been in the National Assembly, ministers, important politicians and non-politicians, decided to urge him to throw his hat into the ring and contest for the presidency of Nigeria. We know that he would accept this challenge by coming out to run for the presidency of this country.”
Fayemi speaks
But speaking Thursday at the National Youth Summit and Conference organised by the Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) in Abuja, Governor Fayemi said the youth won’t allow individuals above 60 years to rule the country in 2023.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Federal Matters, Hon. Makinde Araoye, Governor Fayemi, who chaired the occasion, called on the youth to take charge in 2023.
He said aside political offices; their energy and wisdom would also be useful in other aspects of the nation’s economy.
“We have 2022 and 2023 elections around the corner, and in the new dispensations that are coming up, what is our role? Are we going to be blocking the Toll gates? Are we going to be burning the national flag? Are we going to be tweeting #ENDSARS#; or are we going to grab the mantle of power that we have now to dictate who the next president of Nigeria will be; and who the next governors in Nigeria will be?
“One thing I can tell you is that we, the Nigerian youths, are not going to allow anyone above the age of 60 years to run for president. Nigerians have suffered enough. Enough is enough. It is not by saying, we have to go into action and we have to mobilise.”
In his remarks, Chairman, NYC Governing Board, Dr Yakub Shedam, said with proper government direction, the Nigerian youths would curb banditry.
Shedam also called on the federal government to include members of the group in its programmes and politics, saying “the NYC is apolitical. It is rather a movement to actualize a one -Nigeria for the youth that is devoid of religious and ethnicity biases.”
Also speaking, NYC President Comrade Blessing Akinlosotu, said the Nigerian youths formed 65-70 percent of the country’s population.
“How has this great numerical strength being translated into good governance / leadership and economic prosperity?” he quipped.
