Facts About Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill

Not Too Young To Run is a campaign which seeks to reduce the age limit of those running for political offices in Nigeria and globally.

President Muhammadu Buhari signed the much-anticipated bill into law today (Thursday).

The bill, which was spearheaded by Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), and other partners, gives people with lower age limit a level playing field to seek political offices.

Half of the global population is under 30, and according to reports, 73% of countries restrict young people from running for office, even though they can vote.

According to the pioneers of the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign, the bill seeks to; raise awareness on the state of youth rights running for elected office around the world; advocate for the rights of young people running for elected office and inspire young people everywhere to run for elected office.

A statement on the website of the pioneers reads: “We believe that young people deserve the same rights to run for office and that age discrimination is a hindrance to full participation and democracy.

“In Nigeria, the #NotTooYoungtoRun campaign has embarked on a mission to address age discrimination in candidacy for the legislative and executive branches, and serves as inspiration for the global campaign.”

The bill was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly in 2017 and also been approved by the constitutionally required a two-third of the state assemblies.

The #NotTooYoungToRun bill is part of other constitutional amendment bills that have been transmitted from the National Assembly to the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

According to Section 9 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), an alteration of the constitution shall not be passed unless the proposal is supported by two-third majority of all members of Parliament and approved by the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all states.

The passage altered Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the Nigerian Constitution.

Nigeria’s 1999 constitution stipulates that the president has to be at least 40, while senators and state governors have to be aged 35 or above. The bill, however reduces the age qualification for president from 40 to 35; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25. But after passing the bill, governors and senate remained at 35.

More than half of the Nigeria’s population is younger than 30.

Following the successful movement in Nigeria, the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth has initiated a global campaign provide young people with a central platform through which to advocate.

The campaign is in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Inter-Parliamentary Union, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement and the European Youth Forum.