Home FEATURES Osinbajo Supports Youths Seeking For Elective Offices In Nigeria

Osinbajo Supports Youths Seeking For Elective Offices In Nigeria

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.

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“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]