Senator Rashidi Ladoja, a former Oyo State governor, has encouraged young people to take charge of their political destiny by forming a political party, presenting candidates, and rallying support to ensure their electoral success.
Senator Rashidi Ladoja has noted that the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Act has already reduced the age qualification for political offices, and believes that the Electoral Act can further reduce the age limit, enabling more young people with the capacity to participate in the political process and bring about positive change.
Lagos said this when he declared open the South-West Zonal Legislative Interactive Session with the theme: “Legislation and the Participation of Young People in Elections: The Emerging Trends”.
The De Signatures Tower Hotels and Suites in Jericho, Ibadan, played host to the event, providing a comfortable and stylish setting for attendees.
Ladoja said: “Young People must be deliberate in their actions, by forming a political party which they would fund by themselves. The Not-Too-Young-To-Run Act of 2018 has led to a reduction in the age qualification for the state House of Assembly from 30 to 25 years, House of Representatives from 30 to 25 years and the Office of the President from 40 to 35 years.”
Senator Rashidi Ladoja suggested that the qualifications for political offices could be further relaxed to enable young people with the capacity to contest elections and bring fresh perspectives to governance.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, said that the South-West Zonal Legislative Interactive Session was deliberately structured for young people to participate and engage with the honourable members and distinguished senators of the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters on their electoral reform ideas and priorities.
Alli said that the opinions gathered from the interactive session would serve as required inputs for future elections and the electoral process in Nigeria, adding that the two-day interactive session which started in Ibadan first, would also be held in the other five geo-political zones of Nigeria.
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“We cannot but get you young Nigerians involved in drawing up the political work plan and determination of the architecture of your future as active citizens of our great nation,” Alli said.
In his speech on the occasion, the Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, House of Representatives, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, said: “The participation of young people in general election or the electoral process is defined by many factors, which are political awareness, education, political culture, access to information and technology, youth representation, civic education, social networks, peer influence, trust in the electoral process, legal and institutional framework, considering their newfound enthusiasm, energy, ideas and aspirations.”
Youth groups from six South-West states – Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, and Ogun – gathered for an interactive session, submitting position papers on various electoral matters and engaging in a productive exchange of ideas.
During the event, young people from the South-West region highlighted the need for electoral reform, specifically emphasizing the urgent requirement to address Hate Speech in Nigerian politics and advocating for legislation to prohibit its spread, particularly on social media platforms.
The youths emphasized the need for a non-partisan Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, appointed by neutral bodies, to prevent political interference and ensure a credible electoral process. They also stressed the importance of robust security measures to safeguard voters and ensure the integrity of the voting process.
The Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Adeniran Tella, who represented the INEC’s Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, at the event, said: “The commission would continue to support Nigerian youths to take active part in governance.”
The gathering was graced by a former Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, traditional rulers, representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other esteemed dignitaries.