PDP slams Buhari over charge to youths to shelve 2019 ambition, days call ‘unpresidential’
Nigeria’s former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s call on youths to shelve their ambition to contest the Presidential election in 2019.
President Buhari had made the call at the Presidential Villa while signing the Not Too Young to Run bill into law on Thursday.
The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the president’s comment as degrading and completely unacceptable.
“PDP describes such a declaration as totally unpresidential, unlawful, discriminatory and further showcases the disdain with which Mr. President holds the youths, who he had earlier described, without apologies, as lazy and lovers of freebies.
“We want Nigerians, particularly, the youths, to note that President Buhari’s position reflects the policy of his dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC), not to allow our youths the opportunity to aspire at top levels,” the statement said..
The PDPO said President Buhari and the APC have been using all manner of machinations to frustrate participation of the youths and women in active politics and governance.
“It is unimaginable that a President can sign a law and immediately seek to suspend it. President Buhari’s attempt to talk down on and intimidate the youths from contesting against him in 2019 shows that he is not in support of the Not Too Young To Run law and only assented to it because he had no other option under the 1999 Constitution (as Amended).
The party urged Nigerians to be alert and wary of booby traps as well as land mines that the APC and the Presidency will set on the way to scuttle the quest for Nigerian youths to fully participate and aspire in our democratic process.
“On our part, the PDP insists that the Nigerian youths have come of age; and are free, under all circumstances, to contest for any position, including the office of President, even in the 2019 general election.
“In 2019, when the re-branded PDP is returned to power as the vehicle of good governance and economic prosperity, our party will further encourage the amendment of our electoral laws to enable any Nigerian that can vote the right to stand for elections,” the statement said.
The PDP said Nigerian youths should be aware that President Buhari and his party have nothing to offer them and the nation at large and should therefore not offer him support in his bid to return to power in 2019.
“As we march to 2019, the PDP charges all Nigerian youths to come together and rally on our repositioned platform and give vent to their wishes and aspirations, within the circle of our collective task, to rescue our nation from the misrule of the APC,” the PDP said.
