As the 2023 general elections draw near, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has vowed that it would not support older candidates who are aspiring to become President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
InfoStride News reports that while some Nigerians continue to make demands that the presidency should be zoned to the Southeast following allegations of marginalization at the federal level, some politicians from the region have declared their interest for the top political office.
Notably, the incumbent governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha have joined the presidential race.
However, speaking with Journalists on Wednesday, the President General of COSEYL, Hon. Goodluck Egwu Ibem said the next political era would be occupied by younger Nigerians who are capable of moving the nation forward.
According to him, the coalition has decided to give its support to younger Nigerians who are aspiring for leadership positions at all levels, saying “the old men will not continue to rule us”.
Ibem stated that those who ruled the country in the first republic were all youths, stressing that they out performed the contemporary leaders “who have no vision for the country”.
He said, “We want a situation whereby youths will take over leadership of this country at all levels. We want youths to come out and declare their interest and join the presidential race.
“Before this era, youths have always been the category of people piloting the affairs of the nation. All those who fought for the independence of this country were youths and they did marvelously well during their times.
“We don’t like the situation where youths will be running away from vying for political offices, that is not acceptable in this country anymore.
“We are currently appealing to youths to come out and run for elective positions. At the end, we will look at those who have declared interest then select who we will give our support.”
Speaking about the zoning of the presidency to Southeast, Ibem said, the “East is the only geopolitical zone in the South that has not produced a president.
“We deserve it, we have what it takes to produce the president in 2023. We have paid our dues to ensure that one of us is elected as number 1 person in this country”.
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