Atiku Replies I Go Dye Over Claim He’s Exploiting Youths For Political Gain

Former vice-president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has replied comedian I Go Dye, who stated that the ex-VP was using “sentimental empathy on the youths to express his political ambitions”.

I Go Dye, who had stated this in an open letter following Atiku’s formal return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had advised Atiku to rather advocate for a process that will afford the youth the opportunity of a youthful leadership in the 2019 election.

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In his response, the former vice-president said, “I read your post on Instagram. It was hard to miss it because it was on every major news website. I would like to say that you were mostly right. The questions you raised in your post are similar to the ones I have been asked by other young people on social media, so I am replying this not just to you as a person, but to all young Nigerians who have asked similar questions.

“Firstly, you are right. The Nigerian youth have often been taken for granted, and almost every leader in our history has taken young people for granted. But it’s important to point how this started – for people like me who saw Independence; our leadership was mostly driven by young people. Then came the coups, and the civil war, and then more coups. Nigeria ended up with a long period of military dictatorship for many decades, in which time; those young leaders aged, but still remained leaders. Fela, Gani, Enahoro, and Beko were young leaders, yet remained leaders until their demise. That was because of the instability brought on by decades of instability.

“By the time we got to 1999, the young people of the day had not been prepared for leadership, because there was no leadership or apprenticeship process under dictatorships. This is one of the reasons the age of leaders has continued to rise. That was because of the leadership stagnation brought on by decades of political instability. Imagine a school that did not graduate any students for 5 years, by the time the top class finally graduates, you will have a backlog of undergraduates.

“Our young people are not to blame; we need to remedy this national failure. Last week, there were local government elections in Akwa Ibom State, with over 60% of the seats won by young people, less than 35 years old. That’s how progress can be made. Young people need to participate from the grassroots, all the way across board. Appointments are good, but getting elected is even better. I also understand the issues around funding elections which keep women and young people out, and I will address this in an article I am publishing soon.

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“I do understand your frustration on the issue, however. I tell people my age that to understand young Nigerians, we need to understand the difference between Nigerian and Naija. Naija embodies the hopes and dreams of young Nigerians, the country they love and long to go home to when they are abroad. Naija is the country that brings them pride in music, film, comedy, fashion, and technology. It is the country of WizKid, Asa, Davido, Tuface, the Olympic bobsled team, Iwobi and Don Jazzy Again.

“Nigeria on the other hand, is the country of their parents, the country where leaders are constantly failing them, of Boko Haram, of herdsmen violence, of recessions and joblessness. Our young people need us to make our country live up to the aspirations of Naija by fixing the problems associated with Nigeria,” part of the article read.

The Comedian’s open letter had read in full:

“Sir, you are one of those that have immensely benefited from Nigeria since your birth in 1946.

“Having worked for 20 years with the Nigeria Customs where you retired at the age of 43 in 1989 as Deputy Director, your bucket list sure looks good because you were obviously employed at youthful age of 23.

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“In 1999 you became governor of Adamawa State and ultimately the Vice President, all of these you achieved at 53. What did you do during your time in that exalted position? When will the youths like in your time get a chance? I am motivated to speak, based on your statement: A party that does not take the youths into account is a dying party. The future belongs to the young. Please which of the future?

“Remarkably, between 1999 and 2007 that you were the Vice president of Nigeria, it is recorded that tertiary institutions witnessed several strikes that wasted seventeen months, three weeks and three days. Within this period, what did you do?

“If social support were given to youths then, their children will be between 18 and 20 years during the 2019 elections, obviously they would have willingly voted for you or anyone that you endorse in 2019. This is the essence of making sacrifices for the future generation. You cannot be credited to have been philanthropic to the youths. The recent revocation of the NPA contract with Intel, your company, is the major issue. As a company either, the people in the region you operated cannot accredit Intel to have provided credible support for the youths or built skills acquisition centers to curb unproductivity as part of it’s corporate social responsibility , which has resulted to many youths embarking on the sub- Sahara deserts route travel to Europe, which has claimed many lives

“Your Excellency Sir Atiku Abubakar, please don’t use sentimental empathy on the youths to express your political ambitions, because by 2019 the youths are preparing to substantiate the real economical, political and progressive change. I kindly recommend that you should advocate for process that will afford us the opportunity of a youthful leadership in the 2019 election.”

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