The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s signing of the Not Too Young To Run bill.
Buhari had on Thursday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja signed the bill into law.
Reacting, PDP lampooned Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for “attempting to parade themselves as the architects of the ‘Not Too Young to Run Act.”
A statement by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan said the bill was sponsored and pursued by its members in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
The statement reads, “President Buhari had no input whatsoever in the bill; never showed any support or enthusiasm towards the initiative but had no option than to perform a mandatory statutory duty of assenting to the bill, given that it had already passed through the constitutionally required approval of two-third of states in the federation.
“This development is indeed a democratic victory for the Nigerian youths over forces, particularly, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that had hitherto disdained and disregarded them as lazy and inconsequential but had to succumbed to the dictates of the law and pressure by the youths and the PDP.
“The party commends the sponsor of the bill, Hon. Tony Nwulu (PDP, Lagos) and the resilience of the Nigerians youths in getting the initiative through, in line with the vision of the PDP to allow younger Nigerians to actively participate in elective positions in governance at all levels.
“In preparation for the passage of the bill, the PDP had since launched our ‘Generation Next Movement’, which has already put younger Nigerians at vantage positions to participate in elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“In line with the ‘Generation Next Movement’, the rebranded PDP among other pro-youth incentives, has since approved certain critical clauses and waivers so that the young people will actively vie for positions in the 2019 general elections.
“In line with our dream of providing enabling environment for youths participation in elections and governance, the PDP, after winning in 2019, will further lower the age qualification to entrench our vision that ‘whoever can vote can be voted for’, which is a global standard.
“The PDP therefore urged the Nigerian youths to immediately take advantage of the Generation Next platform and incentives already established by the repositioned PDP and actively participate in the collective quest to rescue our nation from the misrule of the APC.”
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