Tony
Momoh, former minister of information, says President Muhammadu Buhari owes
nobody an apology for saying some Nigerian youths “sit at home doing nothing
because Nigeria is an oil- producing state”.
Buhari
made the controversial comment while speaking at the Commonwealth Head of
Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London.
Shehu
Sani, senator representing Kaduna central, had asked Buhari to withdraw the
statement and apologise.
But
speaking to DAILY INDEPENDENT, Momoh asked why the president should apologise
for “saying the truth”.
“That
the president should apologise? Apologise for what? Are many Nigerian youths
not staying at home doing nothing? Why should he apologise for saying the
truth?” Momoh said.
“Is
it not true that many of our youths are sitting at home doing anything because
of lack of opportunities? If he is going to apologise, it will be because the
government is trying to create opportunities for youths. To apologise for
saying a lot of Nigerian youths are staying at home is unnecessary”.
According
to Momoh, Buhari only said what was on his mind, “unlike the professional
politicians who are used to lying”.
“The
fact is President Buhari is a very highly focused man. He says what is on his
mind and is never afraid of doing so,” he said.
“If
you want to analyse the issue, you will discover that he is just speaking his
mind unlike the professional politicians who are used to lying. Having
discovered that many Nigerian youths stay at home and have no work to do, it is
his responsibility to create avenue for them to work.
“If
Shell is going to invest $15b or more in Nigeria, is it not a way of creating
avenues for the youths who stay at home doing nothing? A lot of Nigerians are
focusing on unimportant things, playing politics with important issues by
distorting what the president said.
“If
I were to look at the issue, I will focus on the fact that Shell is going to
invest $15b in Nigeria and create avenues for unemployed youths to work.”
DAILY INDEPENDENT Report
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