From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
Hundreds of youths stormed the National Assembly, yesterday, demanding that lawmakers pass the “Not too young to run Bill.”
Armed with hand signs with captions such as, “make history by voting ‘Not too young to run Bill’, “Nigerian youths demand inclusion in governance,” the protesters, who started their march from the Unity Fountain Maitama, took over the main entrance of the National Assembly complex, forcing lawmakers and visitors to use the gates at the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Dubbed the “Not too young Bill”, by advocacy groups, the piece of legislation, which is bill No. 27 in the report, submitted by the Adhoc Committee on Review of the Constitution entitled, “ An Act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999, to reduce the age for for qualification for the offices of the President and Governor and membership of the Senate, House of Representatives and the State Houses of Assembly, and for other related matters”, is among the bills that will be considered by lawmakers between today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday).
In the report by the Constitutional Review Committee, the age for the qualification to run for the office of the president has been reduced from 40 years to 35 years through the alteration of section 131 (b) of the constitution.
Similarly, through the alteration of section 106 (1) (b), the qualification for being elected into the House of Representatives was changed from 30 years to 25 years. The report was silent on the age of governorship candidates.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Speaker of Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Francis Ezeude, said the march to the National Assembly by a coalition of youth groups was done to ensure that lawmakers adopt the “Not too young to run Bill.”
“What’s happening today is a solidarity walk to make sure that the National Assembly passes, the “Not too young to run Bill. We, as young people, believe it’s time for us to take over the mantle of leadership. Our goal is to take the lead in the push for removing the barriers stopping youths from contesting for public office, and this bill is one sure way we can remove some of these barriers,” Ezeude stated.
The march by the youth groups is coming after Speaker Yakubu Dogara assured during plenary last Thursday, that the bill was not removed from the report presented to the National Assembly.
Dogara reaffirmed his support for youth inclusion in politics, saying the House will live up to the promise it made to do all within its powers to pass the bill.
The Speaker’s remarks followed a clarification by the chairman of the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on Review of the Constitution, Deputy Speaker, Sulaimon Yussuf Lasun.
The Deputy Speaker said rumours that the bill was removed during the retreat of the joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Review of the Constitution were false.