Posted by By FEMI BABAFEMI on
An amalgamation of over 3000 youth organisations across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria at the weekend declared preference for the emergence of former military administrator of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as the President of the country in 2007.
An amalgamation of over 3000 youth organisations across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria at the weekend declared preference for the emergence of former military administrator of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as the President of the country in 2007.
The group, under the aegis of Conference of Nigerian Youth Organisations, an affiliate of World Youth Congress, declared in Enugu that its decision to declare support for Marwa as the 2007 contest draws near was based on the report of its 12-man Eminent Leadership Search Committee saddled with the responsibility of searching for a presidential candidate to be supported by Nigerian youths.
The report of the search committee which went round the six geo-political zones of the country between October 14, 2004 and February 2005, scored Marwa far and above other presidential aspirants like Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
The candidates were scored based on the following criteria; previous track record, national acceptability, integrity and service delivery, philanthropic disposition, productive services to Nigeria, competence in know-how, planning and execution, transparency and prudence, international acceptance, moral disposition and academic qualification. While Marwa got 83 points, Vice President Atiku and Gen. Babangida scored 25 and 28 points respectively, Marwa thus became the choice of the youths for the 2007 race.
"Based on the above, all youths of Nigeria at home and Diaspora, have unanimously endorsed Chief (Dr) Mohammed Buba Marwa to be the candidate to be supported as president in 2007. No retreat. No surrender," they stated.
The report tagged "Enugu Declaration," was signed by 12 youth leaders including Mr Ibiba Bob-Manuel, Obong Thomas Akpan, Mr. Ola Tunde, Mrs Oladejo Dele (South-West); Alhaji Bello Kassim, Mr Moses Adaji (North Central); Alhaji Abdulkarim Abubakar, Haji Asmau Mustapha (North West) and Alhaji Bukar Usman and Mallam Hassan Akko (North East).
The amalgam stated that to ensure an equitable and objective outcome, its search committee held interactive sessions during which submissions were received from several NGOs, Community Development Associations, professional bodies, militant groups peopled and controlled by youths.
The group added that written and oral submissions were collated and used to produce the report.