Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said contrary to the declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari, that youths in the country should not contest against him in the 2019 general elections, nothing stops them from taking a shot at the presidency in next year’s election.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari’s stance reflects the policy of his party, the All Progressives Congress(APC),not to allow young people aspire to top positions in the country.
The party accused President Buhari and the ruling party of frustrating the active participation of youths and women in politics and governance.
According to the PDP, “It is unimaginable that a President can sign a law and immediately seek to suspend it. President Buhari’s attempt to talk down on and intimidate the youths from contesting against him in 2019 shows that he is not in support of the Not Too Young To Run law and only assented to it because he had no other option under the 1999 Constitution (as Amended). We therefore urge Nigerians to be alert and wary of booby traps as well as land mines that the APC and the Presidency will set on the way to scuttle the quest for our youths to fully participate and aspire in our democratic process.”
The opposition party called on youths in the country to support it to rescue the country from the grip of the APC in the next general election.
The PDP noted that President Buhari and the ruling party have shown that they have nothing to offer the youths, and as such should be rejected in the 2019 polls.
Similarly, the National PDP Youth Leader, Hon Sunday Ude-Okoye, yesterday said the party as youth friendly party would continue to champion the cause of young persons in the country.
Ude-Okoye, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, said during its 16 years reign, the PDP appointed many young persons into sensitive positions.
He added that the party would continue to run a youth friendly government, if voted back to power in 2019.