#NotTooYoungToRun Law, another election promise kept, APC says, condemns PDP claim of credit

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on the signing into law of the progressive “Not Too Young To Run Bill”.

This congratulatory message was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, signed by National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER.

The Party described the signing of the Bill as another promise kept by the President which he made during his 2018 Democracy Day address and which is made in 2015 APC election manifesto in which the party promised to provide the opportunities for youths to realize, harness, and develop their full potentials and to facilitate the emergence of a new generation of citizens committed to the sustenance of good governance and service to the people and the country.

The party tongue-lashed the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for choosing to be in indifference to what the governing party described as victory for the youths as it said the PDP only had interest in killing the joy and engaging in its usual pettiness and divisive politics over the Bill’s sponsor in the National Assembly.

“This is indeed another promise kept by the President during his 2018 Democracy Day address and in our 2015 APC election manifesto in which we promised to provide the opportunities for youths to realize, harness, and develop their full potentials and to facilitate the emergence of a new generation of citizens committed to the sustenance of good governance and service to the people and the country.

“We also hail the efforts of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara under whose leadership the Bill was passed in the National Assembly and forwarded for presidential assent.

“The Party congratulates the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), Youngstars Development Initiative (YDI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) who partnered to launch the “Not Too Young To Run” (NTYTR) campaign.

“We believe the massive support the Bill received particularly from APC members in the National Assembly speaks volume of the progressive ideals the Party continues to identify with and champion, irrespective of partisan considerations and interests.

“This is indeed a major milestone in advocacy efforts to ensure increased participation and inclusion of marginalised groups, in this case the youth in Nigerian politics. The youth comprise roughly half of the Nigerian population, it is only right that they take their rightful place within Party leadership structures and elective positions at all levels.

“We are confident that the new law will inspire a new thinking among many Nigerian youths pertaining their roles in elections and politics. Youths should not be used as disruptive elements, thugs and social media mobs, it is possible for young people to lead politically and occupy elective positions,” Abdullahi said.

“Meanwhile, it is unfortunate that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen this very moment of victory for our youths to be a killjoy and engage in its usual pettiness and unnecessary divisive politics over the Bill’s sponsor in the National Assembly.

“Our party is happy to share this victory with all Nigerians who desire to see a better future for our youths. However, we probably needs to be remind the PDP that it is still a minority in the in the National Assembly,” Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who is also former Minister of Sports and Youths Development, said.