"The old generation likes it or not, the youths will take over" - Buhari

Nigeria’s President, Muhammad Buhari on Friday said whether the old generation likes it or not, the youths will take over the affairs of the nation some day. 

He thus urged the youths to prepare for the challenges of leader.

Buhari spoke when he received All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leaders from the six geo-political zones, advising the younger generation to keep a broader view of the country as one entity, and continuously de-emphasize ethnic and religious backgrounds in nation building.

“Whether we like it or not, we will someday handover to Nigerian youths. And you have to brace up for leadership. Some interest groups will come up with ethnic, religious issues, but you have to look at the broader picture.

“We had a civil war that consumed over 2 million Nigerians, and we learnt our lessons. Nigeria is one country, and no one should take our firmness for granted,’’ he said.

Buhari said he took interest in politics after a clean bill on his integrity by those who detained him after the 1985 military coup and who thoroughly checked his record as governor of the North East, Minister of Petroleum and Head of State and found nothing incriminating.

“After I was released and nothing was found on me I took interest in politics. This is what pushed me into partisan politics; to serve with integrity. So I decided to try leadership as a civilian, after taking off the military uniform,’’ he added.

On his second tenure, the President assured that he would be more firm, focused and relentless in delivering results, especially in securing the country, stimulating the economy to work for all, and fighting corruption.

“I am currently serving my last term in office. I swore by the constitution to defend the country, and I will do the needful for the country,’’ President Buhari said.

In his remarks, National Youth Leader of the APC, Comrade Sadiq Shuaibu Abubakar, congratulated the President for winning the Presidential elections in 2019, assuring him that the youths will continue to support his policies and vision of greatness for the country.

Abubakar urged the President to get more youths involved in governance so as to learn from his “treasured wisdom.’’