Former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the older politicians must step aside for young leaders to take over affairs of the nation.

Obasanjo made the call when he spoke at the 2022 Murtala Mohammed Foundation Annual Lecture in Abuja on Monday, Feb. 21.

He said that he was shocked to hear that some political leaders who are well advanced in age were interested in contesting for elective offices in the forthcoming general elections.

He said this would frustrate the fight to end to insecurity in the country.

Obasanjo said: “We also talk about intergenerational collaboration. Governor Fayemi you talked about being in junior secondary school when Murtala-Obasanjo were in power.

“If Murtala-Obasanjo and people of their age still have to compete with you as governor, then something is wrong with the Murtala-Obasanjo group.

“They (old politicians) should be setting aside and sharing their knowledge and experience to you and you should be giving it to those coming after you so that we make sure that the experiences we have, we are able to give it to you, and you should be able to start giving it to those coming after you.

“That way we can make sure that the experiences we have (accumulated), we are passing it down to those of you coming behind rather than to start competing with you. This is necessary to make sure you have access to what you can use to make Nigeria better than you found it.”