President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, advised the Nigerian youth to postpone their presidential ambitions till after 2019 elections.
Buhari, who has declared his interest in seeking re-election during the 2019 elections, gave the advice shortly after signing ‘Not-Too-Young-to-Run Bill’ into law at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
The president described the bill as a landmark law, noting that the bill showed that the youth can achieve anything they conceive if they work hard at it.
The new law lowers the constitutional age limits for aspirants to presidential and legislative positions in the country, as clamoured for by majority of young Nigerians.
It reduces the age qualification for the office of the President from 40 years to 30 years; House of Representatives from 30 to 25; and state House of Assembly from 30 to 25.
The signing took place at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Villa, in the presence of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run (NTYTR) group of under-35 young Nigerians drawn from across the country, led by Mr. Samson Itodo.
In his remarks after signing the law, Buhari canvassed for additional amendment to reduce the age limits for aspiring governors and senators, which was proposed but not reflected in the final bill he had just signed into law.
He said the signing of the bill was not the end of the journey but the beginning of more work to be done to get younger persons into government.
In his Democracy Day address, last Tuesday, the President had promised to sign the bill into law “in a few days’ time.”
The National Assembly had passed the bill last year, altering sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the Constitution to reduce the constitutional age requisition for president from 40 to 30; that of the governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
“Surprisingly, the age limits for Senators and Governors was not reduced, as originally proposed by the sponsors of this Bill. This is an issue that may need to be addressed going forward. “Nevertheless, your focus and contributions have now successfully increased the quality and maturity of Nigerian democracy and expanded the playing field for youth participation in politics.
“You, the young people of Nigeria, are now set to leave your mark on the political space, just as you have done over the decades in entrepreneurship, sports, art, media entertainment, technology, and several other fields.
“You are undoubtedly Nigeria’s most important resource – not oil, not agriculture, not solid minerals – but you and all of us. Your energy, intelligence and talent are what will drive and develop Nigeria, long after we are all gone.
“This is an opportunity for me to affirm that this Administration will continue to do everything in its power to make Nigeria work for you. “You may all know that the Bill I just assented now becomes an Act of the National Assembly.
“Thus, it may be tempting for you to think of this as the end of the journey. However, it is only the beginning; there is still a lot of work ahead, towards ensuring that young people take full advantage of the opportunities provided not only by this constitutional amendment but also through Nigeria’s boundless prospects.
“You should inculcate the spirit of self-help. Those who complete their training should not just sit down and wait for government or private sector to employ them. You should be innovative and turn your hands to any legitimate work that will enable you to sustain yourself.
“You may have noticed already that every one of you represents one of our 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.
This is because today is about preparing for the bright future of our country. “I am confident each one of you will transform Nigeria in your own way – whether through media, agricultural enterprise, economists, engineers, or as lawmakers in your States or at Federal levels, or as State Governors – and even someday, as President. Why not?” Please don’t contest against me”.
President Buhari also told the youths to shelve their Presidential ambition in 2019 and wait till 2023 perhaps when he must have completed his two year tenure of eight years.
He pleaded, “But please, can I ask you to postpone your campaigns till after the 2019 elections!”
He said he was proud for the young people over what they had accomplished, adding that if they continued like that the country would be better for everyone including the future generations of Nigerians.
Also speaking, the leader of the NTYTR group, Samson Itodo urged the President to insist on internal democracy in particularly his ruling party, the All Progressives Congress; APC, and to facilitate a provision that will reserve some slots specifically for young persons in faithful and progressive implementation of the new law.
He regretted that Kano, Lagos and Zamfara States missed the opportunity to be part of history as their States Houses of Assembly were the only ones that declined to pass the bill. He praised the President and the Vice-President for encouraging the bill, noting that Buhari would be positively remembered for being the Nigerian leader to sign into law the NTYTR bill.
He said, “It is a journey to rebuild the country. We make bold to hold the value of democracy and participated in it.”
He told the President that 53 percent of Nigeria’s 60 percent youths in the country of over 180 million people are holders of voter card. Recall that the member representing Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Hon. Tony Nwulu had sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has stated that the exclusion of young Nigerians from the decision-making processes on issues that affect them amounts to crime against humanity.
Speaking while receiving the Movement for the #NotTooYoungToRun in his office, yesterday, Dogara harped on the importance of opening up the political space to young people for the growth and development of Nigeria.
The speaker stated that there was no criminality above excluding a greater percentage of people from taking decisions or participating in taking decisions on matters that affect them.
Only last Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari had disclosed that “In a few days to come, I will be joined by many promising young Nigerians to sign into law the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill.”
Dogara said he would be available to celebrate the milestone when the president signs the bill into law, and urged the advocacy team to “make a big deal of the feat they have achieved”.
He said, “One thing that we must emphasise and continue to emphasise is that we must get our young people to develop the capacity to participate and lead.
“We must also ensure that they have political influence. Any environment that excludes half of its population would not be fair, and this is true for the young people that now live in this great country called Nigeria. We have to accord you your rightful place.
“To continuously exclude the young people from participating in taking decisions that affect them would have amounted to a crime against humanity.”
The speaker maintained that it is important for the youth to get the right training from a young age to enable them take up leadership positions in the future and deliver successfully.
According to him, “We just didn’t do it (pass the bill) for the young people but as it is said, great leaders bother themselves about the next generation.”