Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, defended the president, saying that the comments he made at a business conference in London were twisted by “manipulators” and “mischief makers”
“There is no way President Buhari, father of the Nigerian nation in every sense of the word, who equally has biological children of his own in the youths age bracket, pass a vote of no confidence on all youths. It can only exist in the imagination of those who play what the President has described as “irresponsible politics” with everything,” Adesina said in a statement.
President Buhari came under fire with Nigeria youth after calling them lazy and saying they only want things for free.
“A lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming, you know, that Nigeria has been an oil producing country therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, health care, education, free,” he said.
The comments have been met with harsh criticism, with Nigerian youth either stating the strides they have taken in their lives or highlighting some of the systemic failures that have limited them from achieving their dreams using the #lazyNigerianYouth on Twitter.
Nigerian youths behold your president! Same dude that has lived off Nigeria since age 19. Still having his medicals & that of his privileged ‘youth’ son who crashed his power bike taken care of by our money. He says you are too demanding & lazy. #LazyNigerianYouths pic.twitter.com/pEEfeo9yTp
— Olaudah Equiano® (@Uruokpala) April 19, 2018
In his statement, Adenisa acknowledged the presence of an ‘idle’ population and the duty of the government to provide an enabling environment for the youth to actualize their potential. He, however, expressed his disappointment with people who lie in wait to diminish the president’s profile.
“It is futile for mischief makers to lie in wait, and take a minor part of the words of the President, and turn it into negative commentary, peradventure they could diminish the profile of the President. Nigerians across all walks of life know who is serving them faithfully and truly, and they will always reciprocate such fidelity as occasions demand,” he added.
President Buhari will be contesting for a second term in the upcoming elections.
