I can’t be Nigerian president at 77 – Abdulsalami

Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar says he cannot return as civilian president of Nigeria, asking what he could do if elected president at 77.

He said it was high time the old generation mentored and encouraged younger Nigerians to take over the leadership of the nation.

He spoke yesterday at a book launch on former governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, when the Master of Ceremony, Abba Zayyan Abba, prayed that he (Abdulsalam) become a democratically elected president one day.

Abdulsalami responded: “In your opening remarks, Abba, you said a prayer, I was shaking my head and rightly too. One of the essence of life is to mentor the young ones and see them grow and that is why in the wisdom of the National Assembly and the President a law was passed and signed, Not Too Young to Run to enable the young ones contest because if I come back as the president at 77 what can I do? I can’t even walk properly. I thank you for the prayers and I hope the younger ones will continue to serve us.”

The book titled “Yakowa: A Dream Deferred”, was written by Reuben Buhari.

On the forthcoming elections, Abdulsalami, who is the chairman of the National Peace Commission, urge all to continue to guard the peace of the nation and refrain from political campaigns laced with religious or ethnic peculiarities, rather concentrate on issue based campaigns.

“Politicians and their political parties hold the key to the creation of an environment that could foster free, fair and credible elections,” he said.

He said Yakowa drew the road map for solid mineral development in Nigeria.