Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Not Too Young To Run Movement has expressed disappointment with the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki for usurping a platform designed for young aspirants to dialogue with party leaderships to declare his Presidential ambition.
A statement issued by the Movement on Friday condemned in strong terms the act by the Senate President while dissociating itself from his political move.
The movement recalled that as part of efforts to promote youth candidacy and democratic primaries, it had commenced a series of Town Hall meetings with the leadership of the political parties and young aspirants to address the challenges faced by young aspirants in securing party tickets.
It added that it had scheduled three Town Hall meetings with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties adding that the first dialogue held yesterday at Abuja with the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
It added that the event had in attendance the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Senator Bukola Saraki, Hon. Udeh Okoye, the National Youth Leader of the party as well as young aspirants registered under the Ready To Run platform.
The movement observed that the young aspirants advocated for a reduction in the cost of nomination forms and requested the party to uphold internal democracy in the conduct of party primaries even as it said that the Chairman of PDP assured it of the party’s support for youth candidacy in the forthcoming primaries.
“Whilst addressing the participants at the Town Hall meeting, Senator Saraki declared his intention to run for the office of the President in 2019 elections. The movement wishes to express its disappointment with Senator Saraki for usurping a platform designed for young aspirants to dialogue with party leadership to advance his political ambition. We strongly condemn this act by the president of the Senate and dissociate ourselves from this political move.
“As noted earlier, the movement reaffirms its identity as a non-partisan citizen led movement dedicated to the defense of democracy, political inclusion and transformative leadership. The movement reiterates its commitment to sustain its engagement with political parties to ensure youth candidacy and democratic party primaries”, the movement said.