#NotTooYoungToRun – President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill into law, empowering young Nigerians to contest political offices.
The new constitutionally provides for persons from the age of 25 to contest certain political offices in Nigeria and it also reduces the age from presidential down to State House of Assembly.
Anyone who meets the constitutional requirements and is at least 30 years old can now run for the office of President. The age requirement was pruned down from 40.
For House of Representatives and State House of Assembly it was reduced to 25 from 30.
Shortly, after signing the bill, President Buhari said “The coordinators of the Not Too Young To Run movement have now established a formidable legacy – which is that, in our maturing democracy, if you really want to change something in Nigeria, and if you can organise yourselves and work hard towards it – you can achieve it. The outcome of such efforts is this remarkable feat.
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“These efforts have resulted in the heroic task of enshrining in law, a reduction of the minimum ages for elective office in Nigeria.
“Eligible age for aspirants for members of the State Houses of Assembly will be reduced from 30 to 25 years”
“Eligible age for aspirants for members of the Federal House of Representatives will be reduced from 30 to 25 years”
“Eligible age for aspirants for Office of the President, will be lowered from 40 to 35 years.”
“Surprisingly, the age limits for Senators and Governors was not reduced, as originally proposed by the sponsors of this Bill.
“This is an issue that may need to be addressed going forward,” he said.
