Arewa Youths Back Gen Babangida on New Generation President

The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum has backed the call by former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida for a change of guard to a younger president to run the affairs of the country.

The AYCF, which spoke through its National President, Yerima Shettima, described IBB’s remarks that the country is ripe for a youth as Nigeria’s president in 2023 as timely and commendable.

Shettima said Babangida has demonstrated his commitment to democracy in Nigeria and urged other elder statesmen in the country to follow IBB’s step regarding Nigeria’s next president.

“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”, he said.

Shettima also noted that the former military ruler has spoken the minds of millions of Nigerians who have been quietly disturbed by what he described as “the political culture of recycling old, tired citizens as presidents of the nation”.

He noted that recycling old citizens as president was partly responsible for some of the challenges plaquing the nation.

“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 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”, 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”.

RovingNaija recalls that in an interview with Arise Television, Gen Babangida had highlighted youthfulness as one of the major qualities Nigeria’s next president should possess.