Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed support for young Nigerians to be allowed to run for elective positions in the country, especially as they have demonstrated capacity and competence in the fields of technology, education and other sectors of the economy.

Professor Osinbajo who spoke when he received in audience, the Not-Too-Young-To-Run group, at the Presidential Villa today, Thursday said that the age of running for public office in Nigeria should not be a major issue for discourse as much as the competence of that individual.

According to him, while it is important for young people to be able to run for public office in the country, it is equally important for them to gain required skills set to be prepared for public service.

Vice President Osinbajo commended young Nigerians for making great strides and playing leadership roles in many organizations and in different areas of the economy, even as he also commended the group for its incredible advocacy aimed at lowering the age of entry into elective positions in Nigeria.

“I must congratulate you for ensuring that you saw it (the push for the bill) to the point that it is now where all that is required is Presidential assent. If you’re old enough to vote, then you should be old enough to run for office.”

He said that the Buhari administration remains committed to supporting young Nigerians in different areas, including in politics.

Professor Osinbajo said that the leadership provided by young Nigeriansias evident in areas like technology, among others, saying: “many organizations have been led by young people, so that’s not entirely new.”

The Vice President urged young Nigerians to thus develop their capacities and skills in different areas so as to contribute to issues of leadership, governance, national development and the economy.

“I think that whatever age a person chooses to run for office shouldn’t matter at all; that for me is a fundamental principle, it really doesn’t matter, even if you’re much younger or older in age, the more important issue, my worry always is so much the preparedness of young people, the preparedness of anyone, young or old.

“It is the same way that if you’re going to be a pilot or medical doctor, you need to get some training, by devoting your time and resources to a call. Even football requires skills.

“Practically in any field, you are required to show competence. And in our developing economy, there is need for us to set the bar much higher, not in terms of age, but in terms of competence. “We need to set the bar because we are a developing economy, because we don’t have the time to waste on mediocrity.”

He advised the group and young Nigerian to lend their voices to campaigns on issues related to anti-corruption and national development as they get required education and build their capacities for public service.

“I have many young people working with me in this office in different departments, and all of them are highly competent. I also had the opportunity of serving in government when I was 30 years old, I was adviser to the then Attorney General of the Federation and I was teaching at the University then. When I became Attorney General about 12 years later in Lagos State, I was a trained Attorney General; So, I also had working knowledge. We need competence in the same way that we take on issues in our different professions.

“I visited tech hubs in Lagos during the week; incredible work is going on being done by young, people who have devoted their time and resources. So, I would say that if you’re interested in public service, that same kind of commitment can be devoted so when we are discussing very critical issues of economy, governance, we would be able to say this is the work plan. It is incredible what can be achieved but we need to have people who are articulating strong positions on issues.” [myad]

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ado Ekiti today, Thursday, directed the freezing of the account of the Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose.

In a lead judgment, the court allowed the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the judgment of Justice Taiwo. O Taiwo of Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti division.

Details later.

Source: NAN. [myad]

The Presidency is obviously angry with some social media which it accused of misinterpreting a comment made by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Commonwealth Business Forum in London yesterday, Wednesday, April 18.

In a statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, recalled that President Buhari gave a keynote address on Making Business Easier Between Commonwealth Countries which was followed by a discussion, and question and answer session.

He said that while responding to a question, President Buhari had cause to talk about some Nigerian youths, and he said: “we have a very young population; our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. More than 60 per cent of the population is below the age of 30. A lot of them have not been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil producing country, therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, healthcare and education free.”

Femi Adesina regretted that typical of their stock in trade, manipulators and twisters of statements of President, “who lie in wait to make mischief, interpreted the comment to mean that President Buhari had taken all Nigerian youths to the cleaners. But elementary English recognizes a wide gulf between “a lot of” and the word “all.” How can “a lot of them,” suddenly transmogrify to mean “all of them?” Mischievous and unconscionable!

The spokesman said that there is no way President Buhari, “father of the Nigerian nation in every sense of the word, who equally has biological children of his own in the youths age bracket, pass a vote of no confidence on all youths. It can only exist in the imagination of those who play what the President has described as “irresponsible politics” with everything.

“President Buhari has always applauded and celebrated Nigerian youths who excel in different areas of endeavour, from sports, to academia, and other realms. And he will continue to do so, because he values the youths, and knows that they are the fulcrum on which the future of the country rests.

“Indeed, every country has its share of idle population, and it is the bounden duty of government at all levels, to create an enabling environment for them to actualize their potentials. That is what President Buhari is committed to doing.

“The focal areas of the administration; securing the country, reviving the economy, and fighting corruption, are actually intended to give youths a future and a hope. This much was emphasized in an April 5, 2018 comment by President Buhari, while receiving Letter of Credence from the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria, when he said: “Our insistence on probity is to encourage people to be accountable, and accept honesty as a lifestyle so as to secure the future of our youths.’’ The President also said more than 60 percent of Nigerians fall into the age category of youths and deserve to inherit a stable and prosperous country that they can be proud of, adding that the government will work assiduously to prevent waste and the depletion of resources by corrupt Nigerians.

“It is futile for mischief makers to lie in wait, and take a minor part of the words of the President, and turn it into negative commentary, peradventure they could  diminish the profile of the President. Nigerians across all walks of life know who is serving them faithfully and truly, and they will always reciprocate such fidelity as occasions demand.” [myad]