NYSC At 50: Atiku Harps On Peace, Calls For Mandate Review

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, has called for unity among cultural groups in the nation.

The former Vice President urged religious and political leaders to promote unity in a statement to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“I use this opportunity to call on politicians, religious leaders, and other opinion leaders to continue to encourage unity among the people because disunity feeds hate, which in turn, feeds conflicts.

"We should always make utterances that promote love and unity and avoid statements that stoke bitter divisions and intolerance.

“As we mark the 50th anniversary of the National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria, we are reminded that the scheme remains one of the most significant policies ever conceived in the country.

"We must also acknowledge and give credit to General Yakubu Gowon for introducing this brilliant idea aimed at consolidating national unity after the bitter memories of the tragic Nigerian civil war.

“Unity, which is also my agenda as a politician, is essential to building a strong country because a divided country is a weakened country,"  the statement read.

Atiku also demanded that the NYSC scheme's mandate be reviewed in order to take into account the demands of the present situation.

“At the same time, I urge a review of the mandate of the NYSC scheme to reflect the demands of the current reality,” he added.

The military administration of General Yakubu Gowon (retired) founded the NYSC program on May 22, 1973, in order to promote national unity in the wake of a civil war between the Nigerian State and the Republic of Biafra that lost millions of lives, notably children