James Ibori, former governor of Delta State has said the call for President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek reelection to pave way for the youths is unjustified.
He said Nigerians should be more concerned with whether the youth were ready to lead, rather than a mere generational shift.
In an article, the former governor said what the nation needed was courage and vision as “age has nothing to do with good leadership”.
Ibori said politics is a “game of ideas and numbers” and that the Nigerian youth needs to pay “the required price.”
According to Ibori, “The choice we face is not that of ‘paedarchy’ or ‘paedocracy’ versus gerontocracy.
“This age-related argument should not be aimed at Buhari. The constitution gives him the right to seek the presidency for two terms. The argument for and against him should be based on his record of achievement.
“The young ones need to make the necessary sacrifice, study the problems facing the society, master how to solve the problems of the various parts of the Nigerian federation.
“Has the youth trumped the old in behaviour, morality, leadership, integrity and frugality? How have our youth fared in the professions, the military and the civil service? Do they even hold out any hope for the nation?
“The election of a Macron in France may have galvanised a section of Nigerians to think that the time is now, he said, adding: “Macron did not contest for office solely on the basis of being a ‘youth’; he ran in a national election based on concrete ideas.”
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