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Bamanga Tukur says he and other older politicians are still relevant in Nigerian politics.
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bamanga Tukur, on Tuesday, pleaded with younger politicians in Nigeria to respect him and other older politicians, saying they were not spent political forces but still relevant to the country.
Mr. Tukur made the plea in a message to the nation to mark his 78th birthday, which he celebrated a few days ago. The four-page message was signed by his media aide, Oliver Okpala.
Apart from Mr. Tukur, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Tony Anenih is 80, while the chairman-designate of the party’s Disciplinary Committee, Umaru Dikko, is also in his late 70s.
Two of the party’s governors, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, are in their 70s.
There are other old politicians in other parties, including the All Progressives Congress, APC, whose chairman, Bisi Akande, is in his 70s.
The PDP national chairman, who had in the recent past faced stern opposition from some of the party’s governors, who described him as incompetent, said the younger politicians would benefit greatly from the wise counsel, guidance and discipline of older politicians.
“I want to appeal to younger politicians to show deserved respect to their senior compatriots,” Mr Tukur said.
“We, the older politicians, should not be written off yet or regarded as spent political forces. We are still relevant to the nation and the younger politicians will benefit greatly from our experience, wise counsel, guidance and discipline.”
Mr. Tukur noted that Nigeria would progress more rapidly with the right blend of old and young politicians, adding that this would facilitate cross fertilization of ideas and frank exchange of views on how to move the country forward.
According to him, “no young generation which treats her old and experience statesmen without respect and decorum ever succeeds.”
Mr Tukur said he had benefitted tremendously from the Nigerian society, adding that at his age, he felt obliged at this point to give back to society the experience he had so far garnered.
He expressed gratitude to God for giving him life, saying, “Certainly, it is not by power or might or by self-effort. It is by the sheer grace of God for which I remain eternally grateful, humble and challenged to make Nigeria a better place than I met it.
“My birthday gift to my beloved country Nigeria is a prayer that Nigeria will be great, strong, prosperous, and a veritable giant in the comity of Nations the world over.”
Apparently referring to the lingering squabbles in the ruling party, Mr Tukur appealed for peace because, according to him, it was the minimum condition for development.
“I preach peace to all politicians and Nigerians alike,” he said. “Peace is invaluable. It is the minimum condition for development. It is the foundation for friendly and mutual concourse. It is perhaps the most important element requisite for meaningful and sustainable progress of any nation.
“Nigerians should eschew violence, terrorism, brigandage and lawlessness. Politicians should embrace peace so that we will all enjoy the dividends of our democracy.”
The PDP national chairman also implored all Nigerians to give maximum support to President Goodluck Jonathan “as he drives the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government with clear vision, mission and objective of holistically transforming the entire Nigerian social, economic, political and infrastructural landscape in order to make life more abundant and more meaningful for the Nigerian people.”
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