Some of Nigeria’s twenty-eight (28) presidential aspirants for the 2019 presidential elections have been reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment at the Commonwealth Business Forum in the United Kingdom.
Buhari was cited as saying “Nigerian youth have not been to school but they want everything for free.”
This is how former Vice-President and 2019 presidential aspirant Atiku Abubakar responded to President Buhari’s comment:
I will never refer to Nigeria’s youth as people who sit and do nothing. They are hardworking. I should know, I have thousands of youths working for me all over the country who have been the backbone to our success.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) April 19, 2018
I’ve always said oil is not Nigeria’s greatest asset. Our greatest asset is our youth who created Nollywood out of nothing and an entertainment industry that is second to none in Africa.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) April 19, 2018
Our youth are charting new frontiers; creating a huge tech industry on their own! Their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and creative abilities are things of pride and should be applauded, encouraged and nurtured.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) April 19, 2018
On his part, Kingsley Moghalu tweeted;
Dear @mbuhari, Nigerian youths are not waiting for handouts. They are making the most of what has been left for them, which is nothing.
Under your administration, unemployment has climbed from 8.2% in Q2 2015, to 18.8% now. Many want to work, but they have no opportunities.
— Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) 19 April 2018
We must refrain from asking our youth why their feet are dirty, when we don’t even give them shoes.
— Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) 19 April 2018
Adamu Garba, a 2019 presidential hopeful tweeted:
I completely disagree with the Pres.@MBuhari assertion on Nigerians youths. We are not lazy like their generation that depends on oil. We are entrepreneurial. All we asked for is an enabling platform which this govt supposed to provide. We are not lazy:https://t.co/WPFyRyWz8u
— Adamu Garba II (@adamugarba) 18 April 2018
3 million jobs were promised by this govt, 7 million in return lost their jobs, yet our President in a foreign land calls us lazy. We’re not lazy. Instead of letting us know why jobs are lost, our President has a luxury of telling foreign dignitaries that we are Lazy, we are not.
— Adamu Garba II (@adamugarba) 18 April 2018
Ekiti State governor and 2019 presidential aspirant, Ayo Fayose had this to say:
Nigerian youths are hardworking, intelligent and enterprising. Their future was mortgaged by past leaders like President Buhari, who had everything at their beck and call as youths. I imagine the youths of today having half of the opportunities available in the 50s and 60s…
— Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) 18 April 2018
Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo who is also said to be nursing an ambition to be President in 2019 was not left out. He tweeted;
Nigerian youths are extremely hard working. Their creativity & innovation are fundamental drivers of our economy and nation. From the creative industry to banking, agriculture & our military, our youths make our nation exceed daily.
God bless the Nigerian youths.
— Governor Dankwambo (@HEDankwambo) April 18, 2018
As at the last count, the following individuals have reportedly indicated interest in unseating incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari at the 2019 presidential polls.
Omoyele Sowore
Fela Durotoye
Daniel Akinlami
Nicolas Felix
Donald Ike Igwegbu
Victor Ani-Laju
Mathias Baba Tsado
Clement Jimbo
Ahmed Buhari
Adamu Garba
Jaye Gaskia
Thomas Wilson Ikubese
Erastus Anslem
Enyinnaya Nwosu
Abubakar Alkali
Ibrahim Abubakar Lajada
Emiola Ojajuni
Miss Godstime Iroabuchi Sidney
Kingsley Moghalu
Atiku Abubakar
Ayo Fayose
Chris Emejuru
Omike Chikeluba Lewis
Abubakar Bukola Saraki
Donald Duke
Ibrahim Dankwambo
Sule Lamido
Rabiu Kwankwaso
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