Presidency 2023: Abdulsalami supports younger generation

Former Head of State, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar, hosting a presidential aspirant for the 2023 general elections at his Hilltop Country home in Minna, Niger State, Prince Adewale Adebayo, President of Kaftan TV, expressed his support for a president emerging from the younger generation in 2023. The former Head of State was of the view that Nigeria no longer needs “leaders with walking stick”, thus, the time has come for the younger generation to take over the leadership and governance of the country.

Abdulsalami Abubakar noted that unlike in their generation, modern governance has gone digital. He empathized that the older generation are not familiar with the digital world as the younger generation, who he said, understand the dynamics of the time, and can better improve the society. He noted that the older generation are not familiar with current realities.

Abdulsalami Abubakar stated: “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.

“Thank you for finding me fit to come and visit me to tell me of your ambition. You can count on our support always trying to do the right thing.”
He commended the former Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung for considering him for reference and recommendation for consultation by his friend on his presidential ambition.

Prince Adebayo had eulogized the former Head of State for his belief and commitment to democracy in Nigeria, essentially, voluntarily for relinquishing power in 1999 to democratically elected president. He said t that history will forever be fair to Abdulsalami Abubakar.

“You are one of our greatest leaders, you are to us what Abraham Lincoln is to the Americans. Because Lincoln founded America, it wasn’t George Washington, he reformed the character of the country after the civil war and you after many years of military wilderness showed to us that you are an officer and gentleman and you kept your words which was not easy to do and you did it.

“But it wasn’t that day that you became who you are, you have always been a good citizen. You paid grievous sacrifices in the past when there were opportunities that you could be anything in the country to go abroad, or you stay here and become a medical Doctor, lawyer, you chose a profession where you had to give your life to the country.

“At that time you never knew you could be head of State. You thought you could be eliminated in the war front but you have given your life to the country.

“If every youth lives their lives as you had lived that time, some will be head of State, some will not be but everyone would be a patriot and the country is built by patriots not by people in government and the calamity that we suffer in the country is not the misbehavior of people in Government, it is the effect of the disbelieve that it has created on the minds of the people and the generational inheritance of that doubt that things can be good,” Prince Adebayo declared.

Former Head of State, general Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, had in an interview with ARISE TV expressed his support for a younger president, who according to him, should be in their 60s.