The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Nigeria, an NGO on Saturday said it was in support for the call for passage of the “Not Too Young-To-Run” Bill into law.
Mr Segun Aina, the Vice President of JCI in-charge of Northeast Nigeria, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said that the “Not Too Young to Run’’ was a campaign that seeks to reduce the age limit for running for elective offices in Nigeria and globally.
According to him, the call has become imperative for the National Assembly to ensure quick passage of the bill into law to promote inclusive participation of young people in the governance process.
Aina said that the youth form major chunk of the nation’s population, therefore the need to encourage young people to take part in active politics.
“We throw our weight behind the campaign to ensure brighter future for the youth. Not Too Young-To-Run is a long term plan that can give leverage for youth engagement in politics.
“JCI is driven by young people and we deeply support the call for passage of the bill into law, to discourage age limitation which is placed on younger people to rule.
“We must discourage age restriction because it hinders young people from taking leadership responsibilities, instead of preparing them ahead to take greater responsibilities.’’
He said there was nothing wrong if “a 27- year-old, 30-year-old, and even 38-year-old’’ person was elected as member of a state house of Assembly and even Senate.
“The future of our society is in the hands of young people, we need them to contribute their quota to achieve meaningful development, hence the call for the passage of the bill.”
He observed that 24 out of the 36 States Houses of Assembly had passed the bill into law, and urged the remaining states to do same to promote good democratic culture in the country.
According to him, Plateau, Anambra, Ondo, Adamawa, Kwara, Benue, Nasarawa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Ekiti, Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa and Ebonyi, are some of the states that have passed the bill into law, among others.
NAN reports that the bill seeks to reduce the age qualification for the office of the president from 40 years to 30 years, as well as age for the office of a state governor from 35 to 30.
It also seeks to reduce the age for Senate from 35 to 30, House of Representatives, from 30 to 25, and the States House of Assembly from 30 to 25. (NAN)