Gerard Izuora
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law, which now offers wider opportunities for youths to vie for more elective political positions.
Buhari signed the bill into law at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, barely two days after he promised to do so.
The law reduces the age qualification for president from 40 to 30; governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
He, however, asked the youths not to vie for Presidency next year.
The President declared his re-election bid two weeks ago.
Urging the youths to wait till 2023 before vying for the Presidency, Buhari said the new law permits them to vie the various political offices in the country.
In his Democracy Day address on Tuesday, the President had promised to sign the bill into law “in a few days’ time.”
The National Assembly had passed the bill last year, altering sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the Constitution to reduce the constitutional age requirements.