From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

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Alhaji Abdulwasiu Adebayo is a Kaduna based Entrepreneur, Youth advocate as well as national president, Youth Development and Moral Rebirth Initiative, a nongovernmental organisation.
In this exclusive interview, he said youth in the country could raise over N50 billion on their own to prosecute the 2019 presidential race if the ‘Not Too Young to Run’ bill eventually gets the President’s assent.
If the ‘Not Too Young to Run’ Bill eventually sees the light of the day, where will the young Nigerian get money to run for the country’s presidency?
Since the collapse of the first Republic, youths have been denied the right of contesting for presidency of Nigeria, talk less of being elected. The previous constitution up to 1999 constitution peg the minimum required age of candidate for office of the president at 40years, to that effect, young people under 40 years are not eligible to contest for the highest political office.
However, looking at ‘Not too young to Run,’ bill, if it is passed into law it will give the youths equal political right with elders in politics. It is a very important bill for political development of the youths, it is long overdue. Therefore, it becomes imperative for all youth organizations and relevant stakeholders in youth development to mobilize support for the bill to be passed into law before 2019 general elections. If you can vote for any office you can also be voted for in any office.
On the heels of the bill, former President Olusegun Obasanjo urged Nigerian youths to ensure that they take over power from old politicians. How possible is that?
Any politician who has the opportunity to lead a nation at a youthful age will appreciate the value of youths in leadership; the rapid development of a nation is always championed by the youths because they are the bedrock of development of any nation.
Nigeria is facing many challenges today due to the recycling of the same old people with analogue idea, with weak capacity, but who are dominating the politics and government over the years. I commend chief Olusegun Obasanjo not only for his valuable advice but also for retiring from active politics, unlike others who are not willing to quit honourably. And since they are unwilling to quit honourably, they will be disgraced by the youths in 2019 election, God willing.
Political observers believe that Nigeria politics has been hijacked by among the youths across the nation, reasonable amount can be mobilized for preferable candidate for the presidency.
With respect to the 2015 presidential election, the candidate of APC (president Buhari) was able to raise some money through the sales of recharge cards, which were sold for N100 per each. And majority of the donors were youths. Going by the population of youths today in the country, put at 65 percent of the country’s population, we could raise 50 billion naira to finance the election. It is just a matter of good will, commitment and sacrifice and we are going to succeed.
Some people are of the opinion that youths cannot handle the presidency of a complex nation like Nigeria because of lack of political experience. What do you have to say on that?
There are many youths who are in politics but no one has heard of them because of the dominance of old politicians. We have some youths who are handling the administration of various institutions of government and organizations, including Non Governmental Organizations successfully, therefore; having people like that at presidency with advisory support from Council of State will not let Nigeria down. What is needed is unity of purpose, with that spirit, we can make it.