From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reiterated that he made a mistake in picking the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, as his running mate in 1999. Obasanjo was Nigeria’s president from 1999 to 2007.
The former president stated this while mentoring some selected students at the 2022 National Exhibition and Awards of the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship, SAGE, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday.
According to SUN, responding to a question asked by one of the students, he said that picking Atiku Abubakar as his running mate was part of his “genuine mistakes”, saying that God saved him from all of his mistakes.
Obasanjo also lamented that the current trend of recycling old politicians to elective positions in the country would not allow young Nigerians to exhibit themselves, warning that the trend should not be allowed to continue.
He explained that the kind of money involved in the current politics of the country has made it difficult for young Nigerians to participate, urging them to remain hopeful.
Obasanjo further called for religious tolerance and harmony among Nigerians, submitting that no nation can develop amidst religious acrimony.
Earlier, the Chairman of SAGE Nigeria, Agwu Amogu said that the organisation believed that the country could be a world leader in providing potent human capital to the rest of the world, setting a benchmark for other countries to follow.
He, however, said that the country is in dire need of a paradigm shift in education in order for it to attain greatness.
