As part of the calls to get more youths actively involved in politics and governance in Nigeria, a coalition of more than 40 youth-based initiatives across Nigeria, have relentlessly been pushing for the passage of a bill that will see more youths eligible to contest for elective positions in the country into law, and that is the "Not Too Young To Run" bill.
Contents of the bill.
The bill sort to alter Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the constitution. The aim was to reduce the age qualification for contesting for the following elective offices in the country as follows:
- President from 40 years will now be 30 years.
- Governor from 35years will be reduced to 30 years.
- Senator was also reduced from 35 to 30 years.
- House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 years
- While State House of Assembly membership will be reduced from 30 to 25.
The bill further sort for the approval of independent candidature in the country.
The bill was passed in July 2017 by the National Assembly, and since then about 25 states, which is more than two-thirds of the country’s 36 states, had adopted the bill as at the ending of March, 2018.
On Thursday, 31st May, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the “Not Too Young To Run” bill into law, inside the Council Chamber of State House Presidential Villa, in the presence of selected youths from across the county.
However, in the bill that the president signed into law, the age qualification for contesting for Governorship and Senatorial seats was retained at 35 years, a condition the president said would be reviewed in the nearest future.
The issue right now is not whether the bill has been signed into law, or whether there are things that need to be amended in the new law, rather there are issues that should be considered more importantly.
One of the issues that should be considered in the effective implementation of this new law is the need to change the orientation of our youths as regards politicking and electioneering process in the country.
For a very long time our youths have been made to see themselves as political thugs to be used by greedy politicians during elections, and so there is the need for a complete re-orientation of our youths in
order to get them actively involved in politics as major players and not as mere bystanders.
Another factor to be considered is whether the youths would be given a favorable and a fair playground to contest for these positions.
After signing the bill, the president made a very intriguing comment which might make one begin to wonder if he is really going to allow the youth to participate fully in the forth coming elections. The president told his audience which included representatives of youth organizations from the 36 states and Abuja that “You can aspire for President but please postpone your campaign till after 2019 election.”
It is time for a new beginning in Nigeria, and we as youths must take our destinies in our hands, youths arise.
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