2019: Young, inexperienced presidential aspirants

WALE ELEGBEDE profiles some young, inexperienced aspirants who have already declared their intentions to run for the 2019 presidential elections

Ahmed Buhari, 39: Aiming to be the next Buhari in Aso Rock

Don’t get it twisted, he is not a relation of the incumbent president but he is desirous of setting up a Buhari vs Buhari contest in 2019. He is already telling all that cares to listen that his Buhari will emerge victorious in the battle of the ballot. Popularly referred to Ahmed Bee, this first son of a military man, is perhaps one of the few young aspirants that have moved his ambition to rule Africa’s most populous country from the social media sphere to the streets. In December, he held a Town Hall meeting in Lagos and he currently has a team doing the groundwork for him.

To show his respect for the elders, Ahmed Buhari has paid a courtesy visit to former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, among others. For the young folks, the initiative of Buhari’s Foundation, ‘Kids Can Code,’ has endeared them to him and what he represents as they are fully exposed to computer programming, software development, graphic designing and hardware assembling at no cost. According to him, his vision is to see a unified country where the people are secure, power is decentralised and economically viable.
He stated that he seeks to achieve this through the platform of technology. Born and raised from an average family setting in Kontagora, Niger State, 39-year-old Buhari had his elementary education at Mustapha Comprehensive School, Kontagora. From there he moved to Command Secondary School Kaduna where he obtained his West Africa Secondary School Certificate (WASSC). His outstanding leadership trait was noticed and that earned him the post of a senior prefect in the school. Ahmed Bee forged ahead academically, as he struggled tooth and nail to acquire a B.Sc. degree in Geology from the Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger state in 2005.

After the necessary National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), he gained employment in an indigenous oil and gas company in Lagos state. In 2007 during his study leave, he proceeded to Cavenish College, London where he bagged his master’s degree in International Trade and Marketing and then to Manchester Metropolitan University where he got trained as a Geographic Information System and Spatial analyst.

Upon his return to Nigeria, he continued as a Geologist but in 2012 he ventured into entrepreneurship and that gave birth to Skylar, Inc. a company focused solely on Information Technology (IT), Networking, Corporate branding, and Business consulting. Whilst is still a tortuous journey ahead for Buhari, the recurring question is still on what platform he seeks to achieve this and the wherewithal to do such. But as they say, nothing is impossible, especially in politics.

Chris Emejuru, 35: Hoping to conquer from Diaspora

For Chris Emejuru, a young Nigerian based in the United States, “Nigeria is one; from the beauty of the North, to the magnificence of the South, to the wonders of the West, united we will remain, as an example for many, for Africa, for the world,” but the biggest problem is leadership and he is ready to fill the void. Born on December 1, 1982, of Rivers State origin (Elele), Chimene “Chris” Emejuru has a background in Business and Politics. His reach has expanded to four continents including Latin America (Costa Rica), Africa (Nigeria), Asia, (Istanbul, Turkey) and North America (United States). His passion for enterprise and social development has led him to his home country of Nigeria for the past 17 years since 1999.

He is the founder and Managing Director/CEO of Liberty Approach & Allied Consults (LAAC), a consulting firm whose goal is to inform and provide knowledgeable information to clients regarding fiscal, economic, social, cultural endeavours as well as present information on current events in Nigeria, from the perspective of the Federal Government, and government at state and local levels. In a statement, Emejuru believes he can make a difference in Nigeria, adding that, “Today in Nigeria, there are many challenges that we face, and I tell you they are deep.

 Read others on the list @ https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/01/2019-young-inexperienced-presidential-aspirants/