A youth-based non-governmental organization, YIAGA Africa, has expressed displeasure over exclusion of youth from the list of ministerial nominees sent to the Senate for screening by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Recall that the nominees were announced on Tuesday during plenary at the Senate. 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.
However, YIAGA Africa Executive Director, Samson Itodo, states “The conspicuous absence of young people under the age of 35 in the ministerial nominees read by Senate President Ahmed 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 my 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.”
He states further, “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.
“The recent emergence of Speakers under the age of 35 in State houses of assembly of Oyo, Zamfara, Kwara and plateau not only shows that young people are good for ministerial position but also demonstrate their readiness to deliver effectively.
“Similarly, young people have emerged in various principal positions in their state houses of assembly. This is no doubt a huge result achieved within a short time and no doubt should have ensured young people staked a claim for ministerial slots in the cabinet list released on Tuesday.
“While the wait for President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is over, the wait for youth inclusion in his cabinet still lingers. 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.”
