IBB Receives Knocks Over Comments On Youths

The Action Alliance (AA) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have criticised former President Ibrahim Babangida for saying that younger Nigerians were incompetent to lead the country.

Babangida had reportedly told the BBC Hausa Service that Nigerian youths would not be able to govern the country.

Babangida, who is aspiring to contest the 2011 presidential election, was reportedly trying to justify his ambition.      

The National Chairman of the AA, Sen. Suleiman Salawu, told newsmen in Lagos that some Nigerians led the country when they were young.

“Gen. Gowon was 27 years when he took over the headship of this country in 1966; so for Babangida to make this statement, he is not being fair to Nigerian youths,’’ Salawu said.

Salawu also said he (Salawu) was the youngest of the senators in the Second Republic.

He urged Nigerians to be careful of their utterances so as not to cause confusion in the polity.

Salawu also urged Nigerians to support the leadership of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

 “As far as AA is concerned, we will encourage Jonathan to continue as President in 2011.”

 “Nigeria is 50 years old now; for how long will we continue to have the problem of who becomes the president and where he emerges from,’’ he said.

The ADC National Chairman, Chief Okey Nwosu, told newsmen  that the statement showed that Babangida’s administration failed to groom the younger generation to succeed him.

Nwosu also said that the statement was not good for Nigeria’s image abroad. 

 “We are talking of re-branding Nigeria and a past president, who says he wants to come back to power, is busy throwing mud on the youth of this country,’’ he said.  

He said that Babangida should apologise to Nigerians for the comment.

“We need the new generation to take up the mantle of leadership in Nigeria; I know a lot of Nigerian youths that can perform better than he did,’’ Nwosu added.

 He argued that the youth had Nigeria’s interest at heart more than the elders.

 Nwosu urged the youth to properly equip themselves with leadership skills that would enable them to lead Nigeria well.

Babangida ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993.