NENYLC President General, Comrade Terry Obieh, who confirmed the postponement to SaharaReporters on Thursday in Abuja, attributed it to the persisting scarcity of the redesigned naira notes.
Nigerian youth leaders under the aegis of the Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council (NENYLC) have postponed its presidential debate scheduled to hold today, Thursday, February 16, 2023.
NENYLC President General, Comrade Terry Obieh, who confirmed the postponement to SaharaReporters on Thursday in Abuja, attributed it to the persisting scarcity of the redesigned naira notes.
According to Obieh, the debate was supposed to provide a ground where some of the presidential candidates would present their manifestos on Youth Development Agenda.
He, however, appealed to aggrieved Nigerians to shun violence and focus on the forthcoming elections, stressing that any spark may lead to a conflagration.
The statement reads: "We regret to announce postponement of NENYLC planned National Youth Conversation on Youth Agenda and Peaceful Coexistence Manifesto Presentation 2023 by the leading presidential candidates slated for 16th February, 2023 in Abuja.
"The difficulty Nigerians are currently experiencing obtaining the redesigned naira notes informed this hard decision.
“Having observed the growing tension across the country occasioned by the new currency policy, we the apex body of all ethnic nationalities in the country appeal to Nigeria youths to remain calm and resolute as any spark may lead to a conflagration.
"We equally call on President Muhammadu Buhari as the father of the nation to address the nation, if possible task the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on quicker ways of existing the hard times citizens are currently passing through.”
"In furtherance to the aforementioned, it is pertinent to inform all Nigerian youths not to lose hope, and we also call on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure absolute neutrality and guide the entire electioneering processes, especially on issues of National Security and Economic revival
"We also demand that all law enforcement agents and security apparatus and institutional architecture led by the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Department of the State Security Services and all heads of the Nigerian Armed Forces to build common synergy and remain steadfast to ensure watertight security and management of the Election."
Before the postponement, expected at the presidential debate to present their manifestos on Youth Development Agenda were Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP,), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Prince Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Christopher Imumolen, Accord Party (AP), Dumebi Kachikwu, African Democratic Party (ADC), Ado Ibrahim of the Young People's Party (YPP) and Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP).