‘Let the youth compete’, says Atiku after meeting Obasanjo

Atiku Abubakar has told the youths to compete with old politicians in 2023 if truly they desire to run the country.

The former vice-president stated this on Saturday after meeting Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta.

When asked for his opinion on the clamour for a young president in 2023, Atiku who will be 77 in 2023 said:

“Let the youth compete now, it’s competition. It is democracy.”

When asked if he is confident of getting PDP’s ticket in 2023, Atiku said: “Have I ever failed to get it?”

Atiku’s comment came few days after Obasanjo told old politicians to step down for the youths in 2023.

Obasanjo while speaking as the Chairman of the 2022 annual lecture of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation on Monday said something is wrong if old politicians are still competing.

The ex-president, however, advocated for intergenerational collaboration which will see the old generation assisting the new generation with their knowledge and experience.

The former President said, “We need to have an intergenerational collaboration. Fayemi said he was in primary school when Murtala and Obasanjo were there. So, if people of the Murtala/Obasanjo era are competing with you as governor, then, something is wrong.

“The Murtala/Obasanjo group should be stepping aside. Whatever experience and knowledge we have, we should be able to give it to you and you should be able to give it to those coming after you, so that whatever you have, you are passing it down to those who are coming behind and not to start competing with you, but to make you have access to what will make Nigeria better.”