The group known as #NotTooYoungToRun Movement has raised an alarm over the delay in transmitting the already passed Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
A statement signed Friday in Abuja, by the convener of the group, Samsom Itodo,on behalf of over 50 youth groups championing the course, said the delay portends dangers for aspiring young people ready to leverage it in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
“The Not Too Young To Run Movement is concerned about the delayed transmission of the age reduction bill for political office (a.k.a Not Too Young To Run bill) to the President for assent.
“The movement is agitated as this delay portends danger for aspiring young people ready to leverage it in the forthcoming 2019 general elections. With just over 300 days to the polls, the delay in assent to the bill not only impacts the planning of the aspirants but also has an impact on the overall intendment of the amendment itself, which is to promote inclusion and grant access to young persons in the elections. We worry that the purpose of the bill will be defeated with this delay in assent.
“The movement is aware of the position of the law, which makes presidential assent a condition precedent for the passage of bills into law. In particular, section 58 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which provides inter alia ‘the power of the National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and, except as otherwise provided, assented to by the President.”
The young Nigerians, however, called on the National Assembly to without any further delay forward the Not Too Young to Run Bill and other constitutional amendment bills to the President for his assent.
“We take the opportunity to remind the president of the importance of expeditiously signing the bill into law upon receipt from the National Assembly.
“The Not Too Young to Run Movement states that it will resist all attempts to prevent the passage of the Not Too Young To bill into law by any arm of government. We maintain as a movement that this will be a disservice that the Nigerian youth will not tolerate.”
