Nigeria should learn from UK, allow youths to rule: IPAC

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) says Nigeria should learn from the emergence of Liz Truss as the new UK Prime Minister and shun do-or-die and bitter politics.

The IPAC Chairman in Lagos State, Olusegun Mobolaji, told journalists on Tuesday that Nigeria, the most populous African country, must take some lessons from leadership succession in the UK.

“What happened seamlessly in the UK in choosing their prime minister should teach politicians that public office is no one’s property that should become a do-or-die thing or bitter fight.

“It is a public office, and it has to do with selfless service, not a selfish one,” the IPAC boss said.

On Monday, Ms Truss, 47, was voted as the new prime minister of the UK.

He said the outgone UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, resigned willingly in July over a particular scandal in his government and such should be instructive to disciplined leaders.

“Considering the age of Truss, it is instructive for Nigeria to give room for youths and women to build this country.

“It is not about how long you have been there, it is about the ability, capability, qualification and merit. It is about putting the round peg in the round hole.

“It’s about doing the right thing without favouritism and tribalism. We need more of young, brilliant, highly cerebral young men and women to be in place of leadership.”

He dismissed the idea that when it comes to leadership, women are less effective than men, saying “that one is a woman is not a limitation, it doesn’t mean she can’t do better.”

Ms Truss is the third UK female prime minister following Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

Before she emerged as Tory leader and British PM, Ms Truss was the UK’s secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs since 2021 and minister for women and equalities since 2019.

(NAN)