I will explore practical ways to provide employment for youths -- Buhari

The presidential  candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday said he would explore practical ways to provide gainful employment for the youths, if elected.

Addressing a gathering of young people at a programme tagged: ``Secure the Future: Discussing the Future with the Youth ``in Lagos, Buhari said his administration would pursue efforts geared at empowering the youths.

The presidential candidate, who described the youth as the `hope and future of the nation,’ promised to do his best to secure their future if given the mandate.

According Buhari, no nation can develop without functional education system, adding that he would evolve creative solution to address some of the challenges in the education sector.

He promised to confront insecurity in the North-East region of the country.

The presidential candidate said that his administration would give priority to efforts to mitigate unemployment and address corruption.

He said the objective of the APC was not to get power for the sake of it, but to rehabilitate all the sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Buhari urged the youths to be part of the change Nigeria required by actively participating in the electoral process.

He challenged the youths who are qualified t vote to take part in the elections and make sure that their votes counted.

The APC candidate urged INEC to ensure that the new dates for the elections were sacrosanct, adding that any further shift would not be accepted by Nigerians.

In his remark, APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, described the youths as `key’ to make the country a better place.

He said the APC was a symbol of hope, adding that the party would not disappoint Nigerians it if given the mandate to govern the country.

Gov.Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, who is also the Director-General, Buhari/Osibajo Campaign Organisation, said Buhari was fit and competent to rule the country.

He said those who said the presidential candidate was not fit mentally were only playing desperate politics.

``Buhari is fit to rule, he is intelligent and credible, he has just delivered a speech off hand; that tells you that the man is mentally fit to rule.

``Those wishing him dead are being unfair to him,`` he said.

The Vice-President, National Association of Nigerian Students, Mr Oluwatosin Ogunkuade, appealed to Buhari to do his best to stop incessant killings of innocent Nigerians by insurgents and fix the education sector, if elected.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, former Bayelsa governor, Mr Timpre Syla and former Minister of the Federal Capital Teritory, Malam Nasir El-Rufai were among top APC personalities at the event.