Support Not Too Young To Run bill- Group

A cross section of lawmakers at the national assembly

The Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) has called on Nigerians to support the passage of the bill on `Not Too Young To Run’ by the National Assembly.

The YIAGA Executive Director, Mr Samson Itodo, said in Abuja on Thursday that the passage would fast track eligibility of youths for elective political offices.

Itodo said youths played active roles in promoting democracy and national development aside from being in the vanguard of fighting for Nigeria’s independence from the British.

According to him, young men and women in civil society groups and human rights activists have remained steadfast in defending Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy.

“The widely acclaimed elections that saw the ceding of power from the then ruling People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Party was largely serviced by the youths.
“Some of them worked as electoral officials, either from the ranks of National Youth Service Corps or Ad-hoc staff engaged in managing election.
“At the same time, the youths in the several political parties canvassed for votes and even held the social media for several months in the run off to the elections.”
He decried the insertion of age limit in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for anyone interested in contesting for a political office, saying introducing age limits as a criterion was unnecessary for elections.

The executive director noted that several factors, including globalisation, technology and the ever evolving dynamics in global politics encourage the youths to seek elective offices.

He said: “at the age of 18, an individual is presumed to be responsible for his/her actions; it therefore presupposes that he/she is capable of understanding party manifestoes”.

According to him, “Not Too Young To Run” bill at the National Assembly is timely, and with such bill there is hope for the youths in Nigeria’s political space.

The “not too young to run” bill is being sponsored by Mr Tony Nwulu, and YIAGA is pressing for its passage.

Comments

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog