2019: Group urges Osun, Oyo, Lagos, 11 others to pass age reduction bill

AHEAD of the 2019 general elections, a group identified as Not Too Young To Run, on Tuesday appealed to legislative arm of government in Osun, Oyo Lagos and 11 other states to expedite action on the passage of age reduction bill in their respective state House of Assemblies.

The group averred that it was incumbent on the part of lawmakers in the affected states to pass the bill, with a view to giving young and credible Nigerians platform to contest for elective posts and contribute their quota to the socio-economic and political developments of the nation.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the coordinator of the group in Osun State, Mr Bukola Idowu, who said the Not Too Young To Run was formed in 2016 asserted that “we are driven by the compelling need to restructure the country’s political system to address the deeply entrenched system of political exclusion and institute inclusive politics, transformative leadership and electoral competitiveness in the electoral process.”

According to him, “since “Not Too Young To Run Bill was transmitted to 36 states House of Assemblies along with other constitutional amendments bills, at least 21 states have passed the bill. Recall that in December 2017, the National Assembly transmitted 15 constitutional amendments bills to the states for passage.”

Idowu continued, “the Ondo State House of Assembly became the first state House of Assembly to pass the bill as part of the constitutional amendment, followed closely by Adamawa, Kwara, Benue and Nasarawa State Houses of Assembly that also passed the bill. Borno, Delta, Enugu, Ekiti, Katsina, Yobe and Gombe state assemblies also passed the bill in December 2017. In January 2018, the Kogi and Kebbi state Houses of Assembly passed the age reduction bill, while in February 2018, the Bauchi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Ogun Niger and Abia State Houses of Assembly passed the bill.”

“The movement commends the House of Representatives for passing the amendments to Section 85 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) to the effect that political parties are compelled to ensure the position of youth leaders must be occupied by persons between the age of 18 and 35 years. We enjoin the National Assembly to expedite action on concluding all electoral and constitutional amendments as the 2019 elections are in about 365 days.”

“According to Section 9 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), a constitutional amendment requires approval by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly.” The movement uses this opportunity to call on all states that are yet 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”, Idowu remarked.

While calling on Osun State House of Assembly under the leadership of Hon Najeem Salaam, Oyo and Lagos state legislatures to urgently pass the age reduction bill, the coordinator of the group, affirmed that “data from the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicates that about 52 per cent of registered voters are young people between the age of 18 and 35 years” stressing that “any further delay of the passage of the bill will not only undermine Nigeria’s democracy but could negatively impact on the 2019 elections.”