Former Senate President and governor of Kwara State, Dr Bukola Saraki has said he never asked young people not to contest election in 2023.
A statement signed by Olu Onemola by his media office said it was necessary to set the record straight following misrepresentation of facts about Saraki’s speech at the occasion of his interaction with the youth.
The statement reads: “Given the recent controversy surrounding the former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s statements on Friday, October 1st, wherein it has been reported on several platforms that Dr. Saraki, asked young people not to contest in 2023, it is necessary to offer the following clarification:
- The October 1st event, hosted by the former President of the Senate to commemorate Nigeria’s 61st Independence Day, which was attended by youth from Dr. Saraki’s party, the PDP, who have contested for political or party offices; are interested in political or party offices; have served or are currently serving in strategic political offices, Saraki emphasized the huge burden that young people face in Nigeria’s current electoral system.
- The former President of the Senate emphasized that the focus right now, amongst young people and all Nigerians who wish to see the country moving forward, should be about ensuring that the electronic transmission of results clause is passed in the Electoral Act, which is currently being considered by a Joint Committee of the 9th National Assembly.
- Dr. Saraki reiterated his stance that for young people to contest and win, there must be free and fair elections, which can only be guaranteed by the electoral act. Additionally, the former Senate President spoke about the enormous financial burden of elections — stating that without transparency in the electoral process, young people would be disadvantaged.
- Saraki also spoke about how during his tenure as Governor, and his subsequent tenure as President of Nigeria’s Senate and Chairman of the 8th National Assembly, he had surrounded himself with young people — with over 70% of his aides in the 8th Senate being under the age of 35-years.
- Many of the young people who had served as Special Assistants during his tenure as Governor of Kwara State have also grown to become LGA Chairmen and Councillors: Commissioners in various federal boards; Members, Principal Officers and Presiding Officers of the State House of Assembly; Members of the federal House of Representatives; and also Ministers.
- It is important to note, that Dr. Saraki, the former President of the Senate, encouraged the young people to work to ensure that the electoral system is not skewed against their aspirations — highlighting the critical fact that with their numbers, the young people of Nigeria can decide who becomes Councillor up to President.
- Saraki said: “Until young people like you take it upon yourselves to say ‘what kind of Governor do I want’; ‘what kind of Senator do I want,’; or ‘what kind of President do I want’, things will not change.
- “If you take charge and ownership of this entire process, when you get the right type of President who has been voted in by you and knows that you have the numbers and capacity to vote him out, he will pick more young people like you when he picks his cabinet.
- “At the end of the day, this is how it works as you go down the line. This is why you must take ownership of this process to show our generation that you are ready and serious about deciding the direction of Nigeria.
- “This is why, I urge you all to select the best amongst you to vie for the various offices, mobilise support and votes for your candidates and ensure the votes are not rigged against them. Protect your votes,” the former President of the Senate said.