YIAGA AFRICA, a civil society organisation, on Wednesday decried non-inclusion of youths in ministerial nominees list submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Executive Director of the group, Mr Samson Itodo, said in a statement in Abuja that the list which comprised 43 nominees from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was without any one below 35 years.
“The conspicuous absence of young people under the age of 35 in the ministerial nominees as sent to the National Assembly by the president came to us and the entire Nigerian youths as a big surprise.
“It is indeed disappointing to see that in spite of the giant strides by young people, especially in politics and leadership, President Buhari did not see any person below the age of 35 worthy of ministerial position.’’
Itodo recalled that the president had acknowledged that the youth were set to leave their mark on the political space just as they did in entrepreneurship, sports, entertainment and other fields.
“But, we are surprised that he did not consider young people in his cabinet,’’ he said.
He said that it was obvious that in-coming minister of youth and sports would not be a youth as none of the nominees was under 35 years.
According to him, this is in contrast with the faith the president showed to young people when he signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill.
Itodo pointed out that recent emergence of persons under 35 years as Speakers of House of Assembly in Oyo, Zamfara, Kwara and Plateau showed that youths were good for ministerial position and ready to deliver.
“While the wait for President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is over, the wait for youth inclusion in his cabinet still lingers,’’ he said.
