- Time is running out for the Not Too Young To Run bill
- Members of the youth movement have asked State Houses of Assembly to speedily pass the bill
- At least 16 states have passed the bill, while there is hope that 8 more will do so to get the required number
The Not Too Young To Run movement today, Wednesday, February 7, asked State Houses of Assembly to speedily pass the bill.
Members of the movement who made the demand at a press conference in Abuja, stated that there is a need to restructure the country’s political system to address the political exclusion of Nigerian youths in the electoral process.
Since the Not Too Young To Run bill was transmitted to the 36 states House of Assemblies along with other constitutional amendment bills, at least 16 states have passed the bill.
Members of the Not Too Young To Run movement say there is a need to restructure Nigeria's political system to accommodate Nigerian youths. Photo credit: YIAGA
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The states include; Adamawa, Kwara, Benue, Ondo, Nasarawa Borno, Delta, Enugu, Ekiti, Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Kogi.
The bill however suffered a setback when the Taraba state House of Assembly voted against it on December 20, 2017.
The Not Too Young To Run bill needs at least 8 more states to get the bill passed.
“The movement uses this opportunity to call on the 19 states house of assemblies who are yet to pass the bill to emulate their colleagues by voting yes for the bill. An affirmative vote for the bill will be another historic step to secure the future of youths and indeed the next generation.
“As we prepare for the 2019 general elections the imperative for youth inclusion especially as candidates for all elective positions is not a matter for debate but a constitutional imperative. The movement demands that the state Houses of Assembly speedily pass the Not Too Young To Run bill,” the group said.
They stated that the 2019 elections present an opportunity for young people to assert their power not only as voters or campaign merchants but as qualified electoral candidates.
“The movement is therefore committed to inspiring and supporting more youth candidates with content and character to run for office through its Ready To Run initiative and other interventions aimed at promoting youth candidacy in the next elections.
“Data from the Independent National Electoral Commission indicates that about 52% of registered voters are young people between the ages 18 – 35 years. The movement will continue to mobilize more young people across the country to participate in the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise, collect their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and turn out to vote in all elections.
“To the political class – If you want the youth vote pass the Not Too Young To Run bill; uphold internal party democracy to safeguard the emergence of more youth candidates in 2019 and most importantly commit to non-violent elections.
“We call on the 20 state assemblies to urgently pass the constitutional amendment especially the Age Reduction bill in the interest of Nigeria and our democracy. We urge the National Assembly to transmit the constitutional amendment bills to the president for assent as soon as the amendments are received from the states. Any further delay will not only undermine Nigeria’s democracy but could negatively impact on the 2019 elections,” the group stated.
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The Not Too Young to Run bill which seeks to reduce the age of individuals running for political office, from president to House of Assembly is the brainchild of the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA).
It was sponsored by Honourable Tony Nwulu (Lagos, PDP) in the House of Representatives and Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako (Adamawa, APC) in the Nigerian Senate.
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Source: Naija.ng