‘Nigeria Needs Young Leaders’, Saraki Hails Passage Of Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill

Senate President Bukola Saraki has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law.

Buhari signed the bill on Thursday afternoon inside the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja.

Not-Too-Young-To-Run is a campaign which seeks to reduce the age limit for running for elected office in Nigeria.

The bill was passed by the National Assembly last year to alter Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the Constitution to reduce the age qualification for 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.

Reacting to the passage, Saraki commended his colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives for ensuring that the bill passed its first milestone during the constitution review process.

He said the signing represents the beginning of the inclusion of young Nigerians into leadership positions, adding that the country “needs the energy and innovation of our young people”.

More than half of our 180 million population are young people under the age of 30. Today’s signing of the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill represents the beginning of the inclusion of this vital segment into our nation-building.

— Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) May 31, 2018

As young people across the country bask in the moment and celebrate the signing of the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill, they must not see this as the final bus stop on this journey. It is one thing to be able to run, but, it is another thing entirely to be able to serve.

— Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) May 31, 2018

Our nation needs the energy and innovation of our young people.

Hence, the next phase of #NotTooYoungToRun must be young people registering to vote, collecting their #PVCs, running for office and/or working to get their peers elected into both legislative and executive offices.

— Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) May 31, 2018

I congratulate @YIAGA and all other groups that championed the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill and commend my colleagues in both @NGRSenate and @HouseNGR for making sure that this Bill passed its first milestone during the #ConstitutionReview Process.

— Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) May 31, 2018