Atiku, Tinubu fit to contest in 2023 despite age – Segun Showunmi
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
An Ogun Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Showunmi has described those attacking the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as well as former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the duo’s presidential aspiration come 2023 despite their relative old age as shallow minded people.
Showunmi who also served as the Spokesman to Atiku Abubakar 2019 Presidential Campaign disclosed that these set of people should rather be concerned with capacity and the wealth of experience possessed by the individual offering to lead the country come 2023 rather than age citing the examples of Ronald Reagan, Trump, Biden among others who ruled their countries in their 70s.
The PDP chieftain declared that many of the challenges confronting the country such as insecurity, renegotiation of debt, agitation for restructuring, strengthening the bond of unity among others are better managed by someone with good dose of experience which usually or often comes with age.
In a statement titled “The Bill we signed is Not Too Young To Run, not the elderly must die” and made available to journalists at Abeokuta on Monday, Showunmi said that the law as signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 which allow further youths participation in governance of the country did not consider age as a disease or as impediment to anyone aspiring to be anything in the country.
He said rather than wasting their energy and time attacking eminent Nigerians who out of love and patriotic zeal are offering to serve the country, these people should rather base their argument on ideas and not silly talk on age that would not fly
Showunmi said, “I have seen wet trees die while the dry ones live much longer, the mortality experience of humans does not justify this lazy frenzy. Do the young not die just as much as the elders? Do the infirmities of health not affect all humans? I don’t get it.
“Thankfully each and everyone that is qualified is free to aspire. The reality of what the contest demands and the capability to deliver is what is at stake here.”
He explained that, “So if it is Waziri Atiku Abubakar or Asiwaju Bola Tinubu that these lots are hoping to bully of their ambitions with the screaming and shouting about age.
“Shall we not examine their scorecards on the assignments and opportunities granted them.
“We know those younger leaders that can bring something to the table, and we know the unstable over-ambitious office seekers who are simply deceiving themselves. Time will tell.
“Their story is like that of the leech that wants to kill the dog it feeds on, forgetting that once the dog dies, the leach will cease to exist.
“If Atiku Abubakar is often in the news while the consultation is still ongoing, I tell you again he will be one of the issues in the build-up to 2023.
“When nations are looking for leadership in a democracy, they look for who can get the job done. In our case, the demand is more, for we will be on a fools gambit to think the challenges the country faces is child’s play.”
