YIAGA Africa, a policy advocacy
group, has expressed disappointment with President Muhammadu Buhari’s
ministerial list.
The youngest person on the list
is 44 years old.
In a statement, Samson Itodo,
YIAGA’s executive director, expressed shock that Buhari did not consider any
person below 35 years of age worthy of any ministerial position.
He said this is despite the
president’s comment that “young people of Nigeria are now set to leave their
mark on the political space”.
“Yesterday the ministerial
nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office were announced
at the floor of the national assembly. The list comprises 43 nominees coming
from across all 36 states and federal capital territory with notable 7 women
and no single person below the age of 35,” he said.
“The conspicuous absence of young
people under the age of 35 in the ministerial nominees read by Senate President
Ahmad Lawan as sent to the national assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari has
to come us and the entire Nigerian youths as a big surprise.
“It is indeed disappointing to
see that despite the giant strides made by young people especially in the area
of politics and leadership, President Muhammadu Buhari has not seen any person
below the age of 35 worthy of any ministerial position.
“Despite publicly proclaiming
that young people of Nigeria are now set to leave their mark on the political
space, just as they have done over the decades in entrepreneurship, sports,
art, media entertainment, technology, and several other fields, we are
surprised that President Muhammadu Buhari did not consider young people in his
cabinet.
“While portfolios are yet to be
assigned to ministerial nominees, it is obvious that from the list, the
minister of youth and sports will not be a youth as none of the nominees is
under the age 35 not to talk of the new National youth policy which classifies
youth between 15 and 29 years old.
“This is in contrast with the faith
President Buhari showed to young people when he signed the Not Too Young To run
bill into law.”
He said the emergence of speakers
under the age of 35 in some state houses of assembly demonstrates the
youth’s readiness to “effectively
deliver”.
It urged governors to appoint
young competent people to head various commissions in their states.
“While the wait for President
Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is over, the wait for youth inclusion in his cabinet
still lingers,” Itodo said.
“State Governors across Nigeria
still have an opportunity to change this narrative by appointing young
competent people with character and capacity to head various commissions in the
state.”
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