Not-Too-Young-To-Run: Signing of Bill into law still doesn’t make Buhari acceptable – Adeyanju

Co-convener of the OurMumuDonDo movement, Deji Adeyanju on Thursday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari still remains unacceptable to Nigerians despite signing the much-anticipated Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill, claiming that the President has practically achieved nothing for the over three years he has spent in power.

The rights activist regretted that Buhari “signed the bill with a proviso – that young people should wait till 2023 before they can get a shot at power”, stressing that “we frown at that assertion and demand that the 2019 elections should be thrown open for all Nigerians since the Bill has now been signed.”

On why he thinks the President still remains unpopular despite putting assent to the bill that resonates with young Nigerians, Adeyanju told DAILY POST, “Buhari is unacceptable to anybody who wants development because he has practically done nothing in over 3 years. He has shut the democratic space against those of us in the civil society.

“The Unity Fountain is like the Freedom Park in Lagos. As we speak now, they have practically filled up the Unity Fountain in Abuja and turned the place into a police barack because they keep kicking against us having protests and having activities at the Unity Fountain. And we are in a democracy.

“Even under the military regime, the military still allowed people to express themselves. We saw people holding rallies under Abacha, under Babangida. So, the democratic space has been shot to the level that even valid court orders are no longer obeyed in this country. Look at El-Zakzaky, Dasuka. They are in detention.

“No matter what their crimes are, why won’t you follow the rule of law. Even Buhari, he obeyed judgement against Decree 4 when he and Idiagbon were ruling this country as military head of state so why won’t they obey court orders now in a democracy. So Nigeria is worse off and Buhari still remains unacceptable.”

While heaping praises on members of the National Assembly for making the Age Reduction Bill possible, the convener of Concerned Nigerians said, “We also want to appreciate the leadership of the National Assembly for the great role they play because many of them especially in the Senate are old people and would ordinarily not want the younger generation to come and take their seat”.

Adeyanju also lauded the pioneer of the bill, Hon. Tony Nwulu, the member representing Oshodi-Isolo II of Lagos State, disclosing that when the bill started many people thought it was a joke, but the 39-year-old Rep persevered with intense lobbying.

With the bill now signed into law, the activist stated that the ball is now in the court of young Nigerians, charging them, “to come together and have a common interest because, in politics, the numbers count”.

The activist said further, “Yes the numbers matter but there must be a common interest. So it’s an opportunity for young people in the country to come together so we can have a common interest and we will now forge ahead and define those who govern us. Not just for the president but at the state level, at the National Assembly level because we cannot effect change unless we are thorough.

“Young people must now know that they must go and join political parties or actively support political parties that align with their interest or ideology. The time for criticising leaders is over. It’s now time to take action,” Adeyanju stated.