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The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to
apologise to Nigerian youths over his comments that the country’s young
population are lazy but wanted free things.
The APC chieftain believe that the government has not given the youth
opportunity to serve, hence no need to demarket them at an international
event like Commonwealth Business Forum.
The Bayelsa born politician, however, said as a young man he will be
contesting the National Chairmanship seat of his party, the APC in the
forthcoming national convention, to prove that Nigerian youths are ready
if given opportunity.
President Buhari, while addressing the forum in Westminster on Wednesday,
was quoted to have said “More than 60 percent of the population is below
30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that
Nigeria is an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do
nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free.”
But reacting to the comment in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, Frank
reminded the President that more than 20 young Nigerians lost their lives
in 2014 in search for employment in Nigerian Immigration Service.
The APC chieftain who said that the country has the best brains in the
world, added that Nigerian leaders have refused to create enabling
environment for the young population to excel.
“If Nigerian youths are lazy you won’t find them allover the world seeking
for greener pastures. Again, we have so many Nigerian young entrepreneurs
who are doing well all over without support from the government.
“So I disagree with Mr. President on this particular comment. Nigerian
youths are hard working; we have best brains in entertainment industry,
Sports, Medical, to mention but view, and I think they deserve an
apology.”
While declaring his intention to contest the office of the National
Chairman of the ruling APC in the forthcoming national convention, Frank
urged the President to support him as a young man so as to prove to the
world that that Nigerian youths are not lazy.
“I like to inform Mr. President that if I’m given opportunity to serve
within the rank of APC as National Chairman, I have capacity to do better
that the current National Chairman.
“This is one of the reasons I have offered myself to serve my country in
this capacity for now. I will, hereby solicit for your support by giving
the youth opportunity to serve.”