Hundreds of young Nigerians marched on the country’s parliament on Tuesday, calling for lawmakers to remove age barriers on political posts, including the presidency. Nigeria’s 1999 constitution stipulates that the president has to be at least 40, while senators and state governors have to be aged 35 or above.
Young Nigerians march to protest against age barriers on political posts in Abuja, on July 25, 2017. Hundreds of young Nigerians marched towards the country’s parliament on Tuesday, calling for lawmakers to remove age barriers on political posts, including the presidency. Nigeria’s 1999 constitution stipulates that the president has to be at least 40, while senators and state governors have to be aged 35 or above
But with an increasingly young demographic in Africa’s most populous nation and a majority of voters (55.4 percent) in the 18-35 age group, the restriction is seen as unfair.
About 500 protesters, wearing white T-shirts and brandishing placards proclaiming “#NotTooYoungToRun”, marched two kilometres (1.5 miles) to the National Assembly.
A sit-in was planned outside the parliament building until lawmakers vote on a constitutional amendment to lower the age.
Protest leader Samson Itodo said they needed a two-thirds majority in the 109-seat senate and the 360-seat House of Representatives to vote in their favour.
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