Dogara, Saraki advocate for youths to be ministers of state

- Yakubu Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, has asked for the reservation of the offices of the ministers of state for youths

- Dogara said that it is time for youths to take up positions of power because they have been left out from the politics of the country

- Adding to this, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, said that Nigeria cannot do without the vibrancy and innovative spirit of youths

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday, June 28, advocated for the setting aside of ministers of state positions for Nigerian youth.

Dogara made the call while speaking at the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Conference to celebrate President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent to the bill. He said the history of democracy globally had been about constant struggle between the included and the excluded, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

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Dogara said: “I don’t think we will be asking for too much after the 2019 elections if we insist on a situation where we can appoint youth as Ministers of State. This is so that youths’ participation can be enhanced. It is not too much, and if we demand it and stay through to the cause, like joke it will happen."

Dogara said majority of people who had been excluded in politics in Nigeria were youths. He said: "They have always been told that they are still young. They have always been told that they should wait to for their time.’’

Dogora added that the truth is the time of youths is actually now. The speaker said: "Though the age reduction bill had been signed, it is only the legal barrier that was removed, but there are other barriers left to be conquered in terms of bringing the youth into positions of leadership.

“Barriers like that of economic, institutional and capacity building have to be pulled down for youths who will occupy these offices and without combating these challenges, the benefits of the bill will not be reaped. Especially removing the financial barriers that stand against youths at the party levels."

Dogara urged youth to also build their capacity to run for elective positions ahead of the 2019 elections.

The president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who was represented by his special adviser, legislative matters and strategy, Kingsley Amaku, said that Nigerian youths were the architect of democracy.

Saraki congratulated the Not-Too-Young-To-Run movement for contributing to getting the bill signed by the president, adding that it was signed to prepare ground for massive youth election in 2019 poll.

He said political power should not be left in the hands of a few but should be held in trust, with as many who are able to serve in honesty and in truth including the youth.

The Senate president said: “Nigeria cannot do without the energy and innovation of our young people, the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Law is a reflection of the energy possessed by the youth, which shows that today not tomorrow belongs to the youth.

“But it’s not an end to itself, it is the beginning of a journey, because the Not-Too-Young-To-Run movement is not a political party.’’

Samson Itodo, one of the Conveners of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement, said the bill went through many hurdles before the presidential assent.

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Itodo said: “Why must it take 10 years to amend a section of our constitution? If we are truly a democratic nation, why must it take two years to sign a bill?, but that is our reality.

“It took the courage of young people outside who stood up against frustration, disenchantment, and the disillusionment that we were experiencing to renew their fate in democracy.’’

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that over 50 youth groups in the country had concluded plans to organise a National Day of Action, in solidarity with Nigerian youths to ensure that the #NotTooYoungToRun is passed into law.

Legit.ng gathered that the initiative was geared towards engaging President Muhammadu Buhari on the age reduction bill and fulfill his promises to millions of Nigerian youth.

The event would hold on Wednesday, March 14 and kick-off at the popular unity fountain in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

How Nigerian youths protest made the National Assembly pass the 'Not Too Young To Run' bill - On Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng