A former Minister of Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalong has told politicians beyond the age of 65 to perish the idea of contesting for any executive office come 2023.
Dalung, who was part of the Buhari administration in the first tenure, said Nigeria now needs a vibrant and energetic President.
He spoke when he accompanied the founder of popular Abuja-based King Adebayo Film and Theatre Arts Network Television, Prince Adewole Adebayo, who officially declared his intention to run for the 2023 presidency in Abuja
Speaking earlier during his declaration, Adebayo described President Muhammadu Buhari as “the last card of the political elite” who have been running Nigeria, adding that it was time for the electorate to choose between politicians with big money and those with big ideas that could transform Nigeria.
He said it was time Nigerians looked beyond the PDP and the APC in choosing the next President of the country.
And talking immediately after Adebayo’s declaration, Dalong said, “I believe that anyone who is 65 years and above should redirect their energies in becoming senators instead of running for presidency.
“They must vacate every executive position for the young ones. We have squandered their future since 1999 and we’ve not succeeded in building a future for them.
“So, we should withdraw and allow them to take over their future. When they make it, they celebrate and when they mar it, they have themselves to blame.
“I don’t want this endless ballgame of organising the future for the young ones. The fact is that we don’t want anyone who is 65 years to aspire for presidency in Nigeria.
“The office is too demanding; it’s too energetic and we don’t want anyone to go there and be so compassionate and delegate your functions to those you won’t be able to supervise because of your age.”
This could be a direct message to some of the most popular and powerful aspirants who have declared interest in the position, such as former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku and Tinubu are the oldest among the aspirants, who have directly or indirectly declared the intention to run for the office of the President come 2023.
While Atiku Abubakar is currently 75 years old, Tinubu is already heading to 70 years. The incumbent President Buhari is 79.