Electoral Act: NYCN to Mobilise 10,000 Nigerians to Pressure National Assembly for Amendment
- The refusal of the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Amendment Act in line with the wishes of President Muhammadu Buhari continues to generate reactions
- The National Youth Council of Nigeria has threatened to mobilise 10,0000 young political appointees to the National Assembly over the decision of the lawmakers
- The council said 75 percent of those affected under the extant electoral act are youths who are appointees to key political figures
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FCT, Abuja - The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has faulted the National Assembly over its refusal to amend the Electoral Amendment Act in line with the wishes of President Muhammadu Buhari saying it will mobilise 10,000 Nigerians to insist that the right thing is done.
NYCN president, Comrade Solomon Adodo who spoke to journalists including a Legit reporter in Abuja on Friday, March 11 argued that the measure would lead to the total disenfranchisement of over 70 percent of potential candidates who are mainly youths.
Source: Facebook
The youths group said it was unfortunate that over 75 percent of those affected under the extant electoral act are youths who are appointees of local government chairmen, governors, the president, and legislators.
NYCN called on both chambers of the National Assembly to immediately expedite actions to expunge the said section 84(12) within the next 48 hours.
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He threatened that commencing from Tuesday, March 15, the NYCN will embark on a mass protest to press home their demands.
His words:
“This law if allowed to stand will be an abuse of the not too young to run act as most youths will automatically be disqualified.
“The said clause is nothing but an attempt to insulate the legislators from healthy democratic competition as a vast number of credible aspirants would already have been swept away by the said law.
“The law could also be interpreted with respect to party primaries which automatically disqualifies all appointees seeing that their resignation should have taken effect six months to the April/June primaries.
“Whereas Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended seek to protect every citizen from any form of discrimination, Section 84(12) boldly discriminates against political appointees by barring them from contesting or voting in Party primaries unless such an appointee.
“This same law on the flip-side offers an undue advantage to the legislators by permitting them to remain in their seats while contesting.”
Rejection of gender bills: Women groups list 5 implications for NASS action
In a related development, Nigerian women have said they are disappointed and aggrieved at the actions of the 9th National Assembly which denied women the opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance by voting against the gender bills.
This was disclosed in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Tuesday, March 1 by over 100 female support groups.
The Nigerian women also said men of the 9th National Assembly have reinforced the discrimination and political bias against women as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.
2023: Nigerians should consider young, vibrant, educated leaders for presidency - Gov Bello
Meanwhile, Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has said that the 2023 presidential race must be about the emergence of young, vibrant, and educated Nigerian leaders.
A statement sent to Legit.ng on Wednesday, February 23 by the Chief Advocate of The Nigeria Agenda (TNA), Niyi Akinsiju, said Governor Bello made the remark when he received the advocacy team of TNA which was on a visit to Niger state.
According to Governor Bello who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, the 2023 presidential race must usher in an era of rapid social and physical development in the country.
Source: Legit.ng
