The #NotTooYoungToRun public debate was held on Wednesday, the 29th of June held at Barcelona Hotel, F.C.T Abuja in response to the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign, an initiative of the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth & Advancement (YIAGA) aimed at ensuring that young persons in Nigeria (above 18 and below age 35) are given opportunities to run for elective positions in government.
According to YIAGA, the public debate was meant to stimulate public discourse on the rational and general principles of the NotTooYoungToRun Bill which seeks to alter the section 65, 106,131, 177 of the 1999 constitution and to enlighten citizens on the role of the legislature, constitution review process and strategies for engaging state and federal legislators in ensuring that the Bill comes into light and it did quite an interesting job of it. We heard quite a lot of interesting facts, statements and conjectures from everyone who spoke led by the game changer panellists with the likes of Rinsola Abiola, Bamikole Omishore, Samson Itodo, Ayisha Oshori, Tracy Okoro, Benjamin Ubiri, Ezenwa Nwagwu, Chibueze Ebii and Nana M. Nwachukwu.
I learnt that many older people are of the belief that youths are too volatile to properly handle the responsibility that comes with handling important political positions, and that some of the problems constantly faced by politicians include fear, violence, threat to life, Election Day intrigues, and lack of adequate voter education. There were facts of realities From Hon. Tony Nwulu speech based on his experience as a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives.
According to him:
• Running a campaign comes with funds.
• The Nigerian system itself is designed to work against the youth, and this can only be corrected by calculated efforts.
• In your pursuit of political role, people will try to talk you down, but you’ve got to show strength to achieve your goal.
• In whatever situation you find yourself, always find a way to be smart.
• Come up speed with Election Day intrigues, develop and deploy strategies; learn to count your votes.
• Politics is grassroots, your success as a politician is dependent on your relationship and interaction with the people you’re representing.
• It is important to do more field work than talking.
• Be ready to attend late night meetings and learn to speak your people’s language.
One key statement constantly making the grounds was that Nigeria is filled with recycled politicians, which is quite true. Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari alongside other popular politicians have led Nigeria and held other high political positions in Nigeria over and over again, right from the military era to democracy up till now; a very good case of eating your cake and having it, if I may say.
I really felt the positive school of thought led by Rinsola Abiola that Nigerian youths are capable and able to run any elective position if given the chance. According to her, “If youths are good enough to help run campaigns, organise forums and be a member of their media team, then they should be good enough to contest and hold offices.” Other salient points made in support of this include:
• Nigerian politics will be easier to navigate if there is less dependence on godfathers’ funds.
• The introduction of independent candidacy as against joining top dog political parties.
• Realistic and feasible political party ideologies and manifestos.
• Reduction of age limit for elective offices.
• And Social support for the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill.
• Support for the constitutional amendment.
Whatever has a positive, definitely has a negative, the opposing school of team was led by Benjamin Ubiri, a role which played quite well. Oozing with so much confidence as that of a devil’s advocate, he was able to make us understand where the ball might play against the youths in the way the bill was been projected to the public. Some of his strong points were:
• There isn’t any urgent need to reduce the age requirement to contest, rather youths need to advocate for a greater percentage of seat accrued to them.
• Opportunities abound in Nigerian politics, but it is in making the right negotiations and lobbying to the right people that will get the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill passed into law.
• Experience is a better option over youth, as experience comes with tested efforts and mistakes.
• Apprenticeship and learning is an important aspect of politics, an opportunity every youth should seek for before reaching the approved age of contesting for positions.
Quite a number of people present weren’t happy to hear this, but he did make some sense there. Although I believe learning should be a symbiotic relationship, a give and take relationship between the old and young of Nigerian politics, not just a take, take, take from the old, because the truth is if we’re young enough to understand the rudiments of voting, then what really stops us from contesting.
I understand there will be a march on the 20th of July, 2016 to the National Assembly, Abuja by 8am to present the #NotTooYoungToRun position paper. Location is at Unity Fountain Abuja, Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja. I look forward to that day and hope that every Nigerian youth will come out en masse to join the march and support the movement that will produce the next youth President for the year 2019.
What's your take? Are you team #NotTooYoungToRun or not?
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