The Student Christian Movement (SCM) of Nigeria, a faith based organization with a membership predominantly of young people has tasked all registered political parties in Nigeria to with a sense of fairness, equity and justice begin strict implementation of the “Not Too Young To Run” bill as signed into law by President Muhammed Buhari on the 31st of May, 2018.
SCM commended both chambers of the National Assembly for the sponsorship and passage of the historic bill into law and also President Buhari for writing his name on gold for eventually signing the bill into law.
In a statement jointly signed by its President and Secretary, Mrs. Eberechukwu Ijeoma Ubesie and Rev. Toluwase Olumide, SCM made the call in Ibadan on Tuesday.
“SCM recalls with cherished vividness the landmarked plea and promise of Mr. President on the day of the signing of the bill into law inside the Council Chamber of State House Presidential Villa, Abuja, in the presence of selected invited youths from across the 36 States of the country. Mr. President said then “You can aspire for President but Please postpone your campaign till after 2019 election.”
“Nigerian youths, products of a rich cultural heritage of respect for elders and leadership gladly accepted Mr. President’s Plea to ‘postpone’ their aspirations till after 2019 elections. The youths kept their part of the bargain. Now is the time for the political class led by President Buhari to keep their part of the bargain”, the statement read further.
The christian body therefore charged all political parties to look into the grey areas, urging all parties to keep to the tenets of the not too young to rule law.
It read, “As the 2023 election is just few months away and some grey areas in the just concluded political party primaries being looked into, the SCM is reminding and asking the political class across party spectrum to keep to the tenets of the “Not Too Young To Run” law and deliberately include young people in either electing or appointing them into relevant political offices cutting across the three tiers of governments – at the local, state and Federal government levels”.
“SCM of Nigeria strongly feels that the political elders of Nigeria have nothing to fear or lose in transiting power to the next generation in a country where young men in their late twenties and early thirties once ran the affairs of this country as army officers. That “tomorrow” imbedded in the golden maxim that “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow” is today for the Nigerian youths”.
“SCM of Nigeria is bold and glad at the same time to inform the political class in Nigeria that the Movement had for more than 80 years of operations in Nigeria been involved in preparing youths for leadership in both the Church and society. Examples abound where the earlier prepared youths under SCM are wonderfully doing well at all areas of human endeavors”.
“Time to chart a new course of leadership in Nigeria is now. Time to be part of the global initiative of youth involvement in political leadership of the country is now. SCM of Nigeria strongly believes that Nigeria will be a stronger regional cum world power if the political space is thrown open for all qualified citizens irrespective of age, gender, tribe or religion are allowed to vote and be voted into all available political offices in the land”, it concluded.