#NotTooYoungToRun announces National Day of Action

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By Chimezie Godfrey

The Not Too Young To Run Movement has declared March 18th ,2018, a National Day of Action for Presidential Assent to the Age reduction Bill.

This declaration was made during the release of the official statement by the Movement, on the Historic passage of the Age Reduction Bill by State Assemblies, Friday, in Abuja.

According to a member of the Movement, Hamzat B. Lawal, “In the interest of Nigeria’s Democracy, the Not Too young To Run movement gives the State Assemblies, National Assembly, and the Executive 30 days to conclude the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

“We urge the State Assemblies to without further delay transmit the amendments to the National Assembly, the National Assembly to transmit the constitutional amendments to President Buhari for assent, and President Buhari  to assent to the bill as soon as it is sent to him for assent.

“Should the President delay or decline assent to the bills, we call on the National Assembly to veto the President.”

Samson Itodo, a chieftain  of the campaign  said in furtherance of its goal, the movement has declared March  18th, 2018 a National Day of Action for the Presidential Assent.

“We call on all citizens especially the young people to prepare as we march to the Presidential Villa to constructively engage with the President on assent to Not Too Young To Run,” he said.

Another member of the movement, Cynthia Mbamelu, appreciated the 25 State Houses of Assembly which  voted for the passage of the Bill, saying that they are inaugurating them into the Movements’ Hall of Fame, and  they are henceforth referred to as Youth Friendly State Assemblies.

However, she said that the movement was disappointed by the decision of Taraba State Assembly to vote against the age reduction bill. “This is a major setback for Nigeria’s democracy.

“We are therefore inaugurating the Taraba State House of Assembly into the Not Too Young To Run Hall Of Shame. We urge youths of Taraba to vote out the 11 lawmakers who voted against the will of their people,” she said.

The 25 state Assemblies that voted for the passage of the bill are, Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, and Yobe.

One of the sponsors of the Movement, Hon. Tony Nwodo, said, “The one that touched me the most is that we could have a state Assembly that could vote ‘NO’ to the Not Too Young To Run Bill.

“This is not about politics, it is about nation building, is about mainstreaming the young people into the mainstream politics. If you are voted into power as a lawmaker by the young people who cannot make decision, that makes you a product of an unsound decision.”

The official statement was endorsed by 54 organizations, which includes, Abuja Global Shapes,The Nigerian Youth Parliament, Amplified Radio, Youth initiative for Change,Adamawa, Youth Initiative for Change,Akwa-Ibom, Integrity Youth Development Initiative,Anambra, Youth Consensus Forum,kebbi, North East Youth Initiative Forum,Yobe, among others.

 

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