By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has said
that if elected president, he would appoint a minister of youth who will not be more than 30 years old.
The PDP presidential flag-bearer made the pledge at a Town Hall meeting with youths in Lagos on Monday. This was as contained in a statement signed by Mr. Paul Ibe,who is Atiku Media Aide.
According to him, it is incumbent on the present crop of leaders in Nigeria to mentor the younger generation and the best way to achieve that objective is to appoint youth who are brilliant into top government positions and allow them to learn the ropes.
I have pledged that 40 percent of my government will be youth. Let me assure you that it’s a promise and I won’t break it. My minister of youth is going to be less than 30 years.”
The former Vice President further remarked during the question and answer session at the event that if elected as president he would give top priority to education investment, saying that “President Buhari has confessed that the economy is in bad shape under his watch and it is clear that the President is short of ideas about how to fix the broken economy.
There is no single economist in his administration and that is why we are in this mess.
“I know how to fix a broken economy. I know how to create jobs and I also know how to empower the youth. That’s the reason I’m here today – to give hope to you the youth that together we can get Nigeria working again.”
Also speaking at the event, the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, extols the Nigeria youth for their resilience despite all chastisement and uncooperative attitude from the incumbent government.
“All you have to do is to vote for Atiku as president but be very assured that under the Atiku administration, every Nigerian will be accommodated and included.”
The Town Hall meeting attracted a large number of young people from all walks of live across the country, and it is in continuation of interactive session that Atiku has been having with different stakeholders since the commencement of political campaigns for the 2019 election.