Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Coalition of northern youths under the umbrella of Arewa Youths Assembly have said that they will do all that is politically required to ensure an emergency of a South-South candidate for the 2023 presidency.
The youths said their decision to shop for a South-South candidate who should be in the age bracket of 40-50 years was borne out of the fact that those northerners eyeing the seat are well above the age bracket, adding that the region had enjoyed the number national seat for too long.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the leader of the coalition, Mohammed Salihu Danlami said it is grossly unfair and malicious for north to retain power beyond 2023.
Arewa Youths position on 2023 presidency was coming on the heels of northern elders forum led by Professor Ago Abdullahi that north can retain power for 100 years.
According to Danlami, “The North have occupied the leadership position of the country since independence, more than any other region it is time for South-South Youths to produce the next President in 2023 to complete their 8years of leadership.
“Whosoever want to emerge must have a global inter-disciplinary perspective, must engage in long term empirical planning, have a strong communication skills, must be able to prioritise social justice and well-being over financial growth.
“We seeks to redefine the role and leadership development process of the country, we are charting a new path to national rebirth to put an end to the issues of recycling old politician for leadership. Nigerian is a nation standing half in the light of progress and promise and half in darkness of injustice. We lived in a period of grave uncertainty.
“As things now stand, we have no idea where the nation would be heading to if the North retains power in 2023. The greatest challenge facing Nigeria today is that of leadership Nigeria needs a leader that the people can identify with and can inspire them to greater height.
“We are calling for power shift to the clam surface of the burning hydrocarbon the land of the South-South. We need leaders with vision and passion because sound and visionary political leadership is vital for Nigerian Peaceful Co-existence.
“Nigeria will be better positioned to achieve our collective ideal for peace and stability, development and progress when we have a youthful leader who is committed in prioritising the interest of the people and doing everything in his power to achieve these said goals while they have the mandate of leadership.
“With this timely intervention ahead of 2023 we are championing the course of youths within the age bracket of 40 to 50 years to lead Nigeria to the promise land. A vibrant youth who is detribalized, a youth who have vision enough to foresee the needs of the people and must be compassionate enough to match these needs with actions.
“For Nigeria to progress no time for experimentation, sentiments, tribalism or mediocrity, so, such a man must be strong enough, articulate and incorruptible, he must have a good sense of judgment, unquestionable integrity, be full of honour and moral courage. A leader who is mentally alert, knowledgeable, exposed, a brilliant bridge builder who is cosmopolitan, energetic, eloquent, competent and having a wealth of knowledge of the dimension of national politics as to place the nation and its people in a mainstream politics of leadership development and social advancement.
“The expectation of 2023 leadership is high, but we are constrained to speak up on the unnecessary distraction and our solidarity toward our fellow brother from South-South towards enthroning a new leadership in 2023. Our country belongs to all of us, as youths we have a duty to make it better and we have a duty to retire and stop recycling old politicians permanently.
“The choice before us is to change the narratives towards political leadership, come 2023 it is between progress and retrogression, between our youth leadership freedom and our continuing false imprisonment. It is high time for a brilliant and industrious youth who is prepared to rebuild of our nation from it foundation be it a Christian or a Muslim. We are with our brothers from South-South to produce a youthful leader with depth and substance, a leader with focus attention on knowledge economy by prioritising education and health investing hugely in the sector for transformational growth.
“The- not- too -young -bill signed by the president gave birth for building the next generation of leaders the time is set for now to have a leader with inspire idealism, great vision, right values and inspiration. As 2023 hit the airwave, the political gladiators should be aware that the stories that occupy a significant portion in the history of our dear nation today is the search for a credible leader to lead Nigeria from South-South in 2023 because the nation’s future is in the hands of its youth.
“Nigeria must get it right by producing a youthful president from South-South who represents tolerance, inclusiveness, love and compassion for all Nigeria – a president who combines courage, patriotism, tact, diplomacy and intellect for navigating the murky water of politics in Nigeria.
“let me add to the droplet of floods of goodwill messages and felicitation you have all received from well-meaning Nigerians on this New Year day as I address you today along with other focused youth groups calling for generational change of leadership came 2023. I address you today with great humility, conviction, utmost sense of responsibility and commitment to true and undiluted democratic principles.
“I chose this time to engage you through this press conference because of the current political development in our dear nation and the wide-spread of interest it is generating. Arewa Youth Assembly have notice a series of misleading comments being orchestrated by some political buccaneers over leadership factor that North should retain the national leadership come 2023. It is grossly unfair, malicious and wicked for all those fuelling or promoting this project. We say NO! We say NO!! We say NO!!!
“Our great nation has not fulfilled its potential and our realities are far from our ideals, it is time for a new generation to build a modern Nigeria. Nigeria Youths should take a cue from emerging global change in political leadership, youths must take charge to build the Nigeria of our dream. “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”. The position we are taking today may be harder, but it will leads the country to a better place. We say No to the selected few subscribing Nigeria leadership to ethnic arithmetic, Nigerian Youths must search carefully for the next leader to lead the country amongst them.
“It is sad that 59years after independence, Nigeria still lacks a leadership culture, without a role model for upcoming ones to aspire to be like. It is either was drafted to be a leader by my people or leaders have emerged as a result of ethnic arithmetic.
“Now we are on the road of 2023 and the anxieties are beginning to build up as to which zone should succeed PMB, to us we decided to start Nigeria leadership rebirth with fresh ideas because Nigerian elderly officials have long hijacked the political terrain and locked it against the youths, but the youths are still told they are the leaders of tomorrow.
“Therefore dynamism is the best, for instance the military actors in subsequent governance Yakubu Gowon became Head of State at 32years, Muritala Mohammaed 37years, OBJ 38years, French President Emmanuel Macron age 39years, Kim Jong-un of North Korea 35years, two years ago in Kenya a 23years old undergraduate Mohammed M. Black won and become the youngest member of parliament in Kenya.
“Youth can truly ensure better leadership in Nigeria because they are very energetic, youths are the engine room and forces behind most social, economic or political developments of every successful nation, it is time for fresh initiatives to take it root”.