Nigerian Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has said that those waiting for Nigeria to break will be disappointed as the country will remain united and stronger than ever before.
Osinbajo stated this on Monday at the first edition of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Progressive Youth Conference held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The Vice President, while addressing a crowd of youths and APC chieftains at the conference, said “in the area of disruption and disruptive innovation, the principle that we are stronger together than in little part is a sound principle and it is my respectful view that those who advocate the breaking up of the country are wrong.”
Professor Osinbajo stated that Nigeria size is key for the country’s geopolitical and economic relevance, adding that the people of Nigeria will be better served by a large populous and diverse country. He added:
“As with all big and diverse countries, our business is to make this union work; it is to give everybody a sense of belonging.
Osinbajo fired a salvo at those waiting on the sidelines and hoping that Nigeria breaks up, saying “they will be sorely disappointed,” and added that he’s very sure that everyone present at the conference will prevent the broken up from happening.
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The Vice President admitted that all Nigerians needs to be guaranteed a fair chance to improve their human condition and implored the youth to have an impact in ensuring this, adding the young generation should not just be saying it was time for them and for the older people to retire because it is unlikely that will happen.
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Professor Osinbajo, however, stated that it was the strength of the ideas and the depth of the youths’ organisation and not age that would retire those ahead of them.
In his words:
“I am also frankly not very impressed with the notion that the role and power of young people are somehow postponed until elders have gone, or that there’s some kind of generational queue that to which we all must subscribe.
Osinbajo stressed that even if the notion was true at some point, it is now indeed standing on a very weak leg.
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The event had in attendance APC youth leaders and older party leaders from various parts of the country, as well as top government officials.
The discussions at the conference centred on more youth inclusiveness in party politics and the positioning of young people for the 2023 general elections.