Friday 06 August 2021: The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has reacted to remark by former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, IBB, that he has visualized Nigeria’s next president.

AYCF described IBB’s remark as timely and commendable to have a youth as Nigeria’s president in 2023.

AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima, said Babangida has demonstrated his commitment to democracy in Nigeria.

In a statement he signed, Shettima urged other elder statesmen to toll IBB’s step regarding Nigeria’s next president.

According to Shettima: “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 in all elderstatesmen to cue behind IBB for the good of this nation”.

Shettima noted that Babangida spoken the minds of millions of Nigerians who have been quietly disturbed by, “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 the current stagnation afflicting the country.

“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 in 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”.

Babangida, in his interview with Arise TV, had highlighted youthfulness as one of the qualities Nigeria’s next president should possess.

IBB had stated this while disclosing six other qualities the next Nigerian president should have.