Buhari, Atiku, Lamido, others too old to rule Nigeria, says youth summit

Participants at a youth summit in Enugu yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido, among others to drop their 2019 presidential ambition.

They said these political actors, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and several others who had indicated interest to rule Nigeria were too old and could no longer navigate the country out of her many challenges.

The youths agreed to project a younger person would succeed Buhari in 2019.

The summit in a communique signed by Maryann Chukwuka, Haruna and Lawrence Ozifo said: “We have keenly followed Nigerian politics for decades and we have come to the conclusion that our fathers have failed in giving us the much expected hope.

“As such, we urge President Buhari, Atiku, Lamido, Fayose and others who are above 50 years, to give the youths a chance. They have done their best, but it is obvious that their best is not good enough for the country.

“We, hereby, today endorse one of us, Iheanacho Ezeakor, as our candidate for the 2019 presidential election.

“We have long heard that the future belongs to the youths, but this has gone on for decades and all we see is recycling of old politicians. Some of them will rule in military uniform, remove the uniform and come back as civilian presidents.

“After extensive discussions today, in line with the ‘Not too young to run bill,’ we say enough is enough; we say that we the Nigerian youths will no longer fold our arms and watch the old generation continue to derail the country”.

An elated Ezeakor, who had convened the summit for the youths to brainstorm for the way forward in the country, said he was humbled by the decision of his fellow youths.

While lamenting the worrisome state of affairs in the country, he stated that, “the future will indeed belong to the youths if they believe in themselves and take up their destiny in their own hands.”