The #NotTooYoungToRun Movement commends the Senate for the passage of the Age Reduction Bill

The Not Too Young To Run movement has commended the Nigerian Senate for the passage of the historic age reduction bill seeking to reduce the age for running for the office of the President, from 40 to 35; Governor, from 35 to 30; House of Representatives, from 30 to 25; and State House of Assembly, from 30 to 25.

This is indeed a positive development in our great country’s democratic progress. We commend the 86 senators who voted in support of the bill and call on the House of Representatives to emulate the Senate and pass the bill upon consideration tomorrow, Thursday, July 27, 2017. The movement especially acknowledges the role of the leadership of the Senate in ensuring the passage of the bill; specifically, the Senate President, Distinguished Senator, Bukola Saraki and the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu for their commitment to inclusive democracy and youth development. We as a country must continue to align our interest with democratic principles, global values and acknowledge that democratic accountability is now a norm and no longer an exception.

The Not Too Young To Run is about inclusion and represents the interest of over 100 million Nigerian Youth. As we look to the House of Representatives to Redeem their Promise made to Nigerian Youth tomorrow, we are utilising this opportunity to announce the launch of the Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame for Legislators who voted in Support of the Bill or against the bill respectively. We respectively request the National Assembly to publish the voting records on the constitutional amendment.

We call on Nigerian Youth, friends and well-wishers not to rest on their oars, the journey is just beginning. As we await the House of Representatives and its Leadership redeeming their promise of passing the Not Too Young to Run Bill, let us earnestly begin our mobilisation for the passage of the bill in not less than 30 states of the federation.  As we all continue to say amongst ourselves, this bill is one unifying factor at a time when the country is experiencing a lot of upheavals.

How it will Pass

Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution as amended clearly outlines the procedure for amending the Constitution. By virtue of that section, any proposed amendment to the Constitution must be supported by a two-third majority of all the members in the Senate and House of Representatives. Also, any amendment passed by the Senate and House must be approved by a resolution of not less than two-thirds of all the states. For the Not Too Young To Run amendment to pass, it will require an affirmative vote of a minimum of seventy-two (72) Senators and two hundred and forty (240) honourable members. It will also require an affirmative vote of 24 state assemblies.

We thank the media, civil society, international community for their solidarity and support.

The journey has just begun.

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