Nigeria’s former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) has stated that the nation doesn’t need “leaders with a walking stick”, hence, the younger generation should be allowed space and opportunity to govern the country.
He spoke during the weekend, at his hilltop country home, Minna, when a presidential hopeful, Prince Adewale Adebayo, paid consultation to him ahead of the 2023 general election.
The ex-leader reasoned that governance has gone digital now compared to their time, noting that the younger ones who understand the times, would better the society than the elderly whose mindsets were not compatible with the current realities.
According to him, it was a good development that youngsters were already interested in the presidency, given the high number of those declaring their ambitions, adding that they would surely take over from the elderly ones.
Commending the presidential hopeful for telling him of his ambition, Abdulsalami said Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million, needed serious leadership to make it greater.
“Like you rightly said the world is going digital and I believe the younger generation are more exposed internationally in ICT more than the older generation.
“Like you rightly said the world is going digital and I believe the younger generation are more exposed internationally in ICT more than the older generation.
“I am happy that you are thinking of moving the country forward and I believe with your ideologies and your youthful and vibrant ambition, I think Nigeria is on the right part and wish Nigeria will be great.
He thanked the former minister for sports Barrister Solomon Dalung for bringing his friend to visit him,” he said.
Earlier, Prince Adebayo recalled how the ex-general midwived democracy in 1999 and expressed gratitude to him for relinquishing power to democratically elected leaders, adding that history will forever be fair to him.
