Youth storm Aso Rock over ‘Not too young to run’ bill

Hundreds of youth converged on the Unity Fountain in Abuja for the #NotTooYoungToRun march to solicit President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent to the not too young to run bill.

The bill, which gained majority support from the national assembly and 35 state houses of assembly, seeks to reduce the age qualification for running for elective office in Nigeria.

Young Nigerians, from all walks of life, representing different youth groups across geo-political zones, from Rivers, Bauchi, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Ekiti, Imo, Plateau, Bornu, Kaduna, Enugu, etc, turned out in their numbers to demand a youth-inclusive government.

The youth reminded Buhari of his campaign promise to them in 2015. They also called on the national assembly to finalise the harmonisation of the constitutional amendment bills, which was submitted by state assemblies more than a week ago.

They said failure to transmit the bill to Buhari for assent will disenfranchise young Nigerians who are eagerly waiting for the outcome of the bill to commence their campaign process.

Samson Itodo, executive director of YIAGA Africa, called on young Nigerians nationwide to go out en-masse to collect their permanent voter card so that they can fully participate in the electoral process in 2019.

Around 3:30pm, Hadi Sirika,  minister of state for aviation, came out of the federal executive council meeting to address the youth who waited patiently irrespective of the scorching heat of the sun.

While speaking on behalf of the president, Sirika assured the protesters thatBuhari will assent to the bill.

“The president is a democrat and if Nigerians have spoken he has no choice but to do the needful,” he said.