37-year-old declare to run for Abia South senate

History was made in June as the President of Nigeria; Muhammadu Buhari signed into law “Not Too Young to Run” Bill.

The bill which many political analysts say would open doors of opportunities for youths to go into politics has started yielding fruits as a 37-year-old, Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu has taken advantage of it to declare his intention to contest the Abia South Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State chapter.

Onyeizu while speaking at the formal declaration of his political voyage at El Dorado event center in Aba, the commercial hub of the state also reminded the old political class occupying different elective positions in the state and national levels to consider leaving the scene now that the ovation is high and give the youths the chance to inject new blood and ideas into the system as obtainable in other climes.

Onyeizu, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Havard University and Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, Imo State who described the 12 years of incumbent Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as wasteful disclosed that apart from giving his best in carrying out his duties as a legislator, he has worked out plans; Farm For Factory (FFF) programme to tackle hunger, poverty and promote ease of doing business in his constituency.

The senatorial hopeful while charging youths in the state and other parts of the country to be bold and take the opportunity of the bill signed by the President to make the difference in the political scene said “You the youth, my generation; endowed with fluid intelligence, amazing smartness, fresh ideas and bubbling energy are the future of this great country. Time and again a rare opportunity has beckoned on us to step forward with boldness and take charge of our future. This time, we won’t look the other way.

“The 2019 election is around the corner and it’s about you and me. It is about every Nigerian youth who desires qualitative future. The time is now for us to re-position ourselves and prove wrong those holding the assumption that we are a generation meant to be relegated.

“Let us start now to jettison with the ritual of playing bodyguards and thugs to desperate politicians during election year only to return to menial lifestyle as soon as elections are over.

“The 2019 election is therefore about reclaiming the meaning of the youth, restoration of the essence of our common purpose and realizing that together we can transform our country and initiate innovations that could speed up our process of social, political and economic society.

“By signing into law recently, the Not Too Young to Run bill, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has removed any encumbrances that may have been standing in the way of the youth to participate actively in politics.

“We therefore as for the greater support from the older generation of leaders to ensure elaborate succession planning, a plan that will amplify the social contract between young leaders and the holders of highest office in the land.

“I am fearlessly stepping forward to distort the old style of representation which for 12 years has been characterized by selfish interest as opposed to the betterment of the masses.”

In his speech, the Aba North chairman of APC, Hon. Uba Omenazu commended the boldness of Onyeizu, stating that it was a wakeup call to youths in Abia State and the country at large to believe in them, set aside fears and pick the courage to make a difference within their constituency.

According to Omenazu, president Buhari through the signing of the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill into law has shown Buhari as true democrat, adding that the leadership of the party was committed to giving the youths the opportunity to make their marks in politics.

He promised to give Onyeizu and other aspirants the level play ground, stressing that the party in Aba North would work with whoever that emerges the flag bearers of the party in the state and national levels.