Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that the country is sitting on a keg of gunpowder should it fail to yield to the demands of the youths.
Obasanjo, on Friday, insisted that the demands of the #EndBadGovernance protesters who are demanding a befitting living condition for themselves are legitimate and should be heard.
“As I have warned earlier, we should recognise that we are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder if we fail to begin doing the right thing. For instance, the demands of the youth are very legitimate and should be listened to. Why should they be denied what rightfully belongs to them?
“They are frustrated, hungry, angry, and unemployed. They deserve to be given a listening ear,” Obasanjo said.
The former president made these remarks when he received six members of the House of Representatives who visited him at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.
Speaking on the bill to change political tenure terms to single six-year and rotation of the presidency, the ex-president said the issues are beyond tenure changes, stressing the need “to rethink our liberal democracy”.
“Our main problem is ourselves. Whether we adopt a single term of six years or two terms of four years, if we maintain the same mentality and approach, nothing will change,” he said.
“The real issue is ourselves. Yes, the system needs rethinking, but the character of people in government must change. With all due respect, many in government should currently be behind bars or on the gallows,” Obasanjo stated.
