Ndigbo Youth Parliament (NYP), a socio-cultural parliament championing the affairs of all the Youths of Igbo speaking states, has lauded the bill sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, which scaled through the second reading on the 1st of July 2021.
In a statement made available to media houses on Saturday evening, signed by the Hon. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Rikki Nwajiofor, Ndigbo Youth Parliament conveyed the contentment of millions of Igbo Youths on the bill tagged “YES-WE-CAN”. According to the Speaker of NYP, the bill is “an epoch-making bill” which he says will proffer “solutions to many ills that have bedevilled” our country Nigeria. The statement reads;
“On behalf of millions of Ndigbo Youths, who strongly believe in the unity of this great Nation as we strive for equity and fairness, I wish to express our unalloyed satisfaction with an epoch-making bill sponsored by the Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
“On Thursday, 1st of July 2021, Ndigbo Youth Parliament joined other notable Youth organizations across the Nation to witness the second reading of the bill – “YES WE CAN” (Not too Young to Serve), ably sponsored by our Parliamentary Role Model and an outstanding Patriot, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The bill received an overwhelming support and uncontrollable ovation from the Honorable members of the House of Representatives, the Youth organizations and people living with disabilities (PWD) who were there present.
“Ndigbo Youth Parliament is particularly elated and happy with Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for initiating such a wonderful bill that will bridge the gap between the old block of politicians and the Youths. This bill, “YES-WE-CAN” (Not too Young to Serve), seeks to establish an Act that will ensure the inclusion of young persons and persons living with disabilities while appointing Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers and by extension, Chairman and Members of Statutory bodies, Boards and Agencies.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that majority of the Nigerian Youths have lost confidence in the political class, sequel to the fact that the Youths feel alienated from the corridors of power and the terrain of decision cum policy making. This, has no doubt, created a huge gap between the Leaders of this Nation and the Nigerian Youths who continuously yearn to be given sense of belonging. Lack of sense of belonging breeds mistrust and mistrust can orchestrate insurrection and chaos such as witnessed during the #Endsars saga.
“Suffice it to say that, with the passage of this bill and assent granted to it by the Executive, Nigerian Youths will once again feel the sense of belonging and work assiduously in making Nigeria great again. This bill is a string that will pull the Youths to the hall of patriotism where everyone feels the ownership of this great Nation and works selflessly towards it’s common good. This is an epoch-making bill, a bill ladened with the solution to so many ills that have bedevilled our great Nation.”
We can recall that Gbajabiamila was one of the arrowheads that saw to the emergence of “Not too Young to Run” bill, which was widely celebrated when it was assented to, by President Buhari. However, “Not too Young to Run” did not block some loopholes which have continued to debar many well-meaning Nigerian Youths from contesting for elective positions. Such loopholes include the issue of fund and exorbitant rate of nomination forms of many political parties, which are above the reach of the Youths, except the Youths who have political godfathers.
Thus, in a bid to avail the Youths the opportunity to find themselves at the corridors of power in this nation, Gbajabiamila came up with this bill – “YES-WE-CAN”. The Speaker of Ndigbo Youth Parliament, Nwajiofor, has assured Gbajabiamila an unalloyed support of Ndigbo Youth Parliament in ensuring that the bill comes to fruition in no distant time. He said;
“Ndigbo Youth Parliament (NYP) is in total support of this bill and is ready to join in the journey that will birth the Nigeria of our dream, where Youths are meaningfully engaged and conspicuously found in the corridors of power and in the terrain of decision cum policy making in this country.
“We shall soon be flagging off the hashtag #IsupportYesWeCanBill, in collaboration with the ever-innovative and grassroot-orientated SA on Youth affairs to the Honorable Speaker of House of Representatives. This hashtag will go viral, as it is a step in the right direction for the overall benefit and betterment of the Youth Constituency.
“We wish the Honorable Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, more wisdom and strength as he patriotically pilots the affairs of the House of Representatives. He is an outstanding Parliamentarian and our Parliamentary Role Model; we are solidly behind him.”
