TONY NWULU: "NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN" AND WHAT A LAWMAKER SHOULD BE
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By Lancelot Obiaku
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Let me begin this very contribution by stating that I don't know a lot about the man Rt Hon Tony Nwulu. However, the much I know about him shows that he is a member of the House of Representatives. Further investigations I carried out on him over the past few days revealed that he is currently representing the good people of Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency II Lagos State in the hallowed green chamber of the National Assembly. He was elected under the platform of PDP.

Interestingly too, his origin can be traced to Imo State, the Eastern Heartland, my dear State. He is native of Ezuido, Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. It is also worthy of note that he is a young man, still in his 30s.

I must confess that although I have been judging Hon. Nwulu from a distance, he has well won my admiration. He has inspired me, even as I am sure that he has succeeded in inspiring so many other youths; he will surely inspire millions in years to come.

What drew my attention to this young legislator is the bill he presented and sponsored in the National Assembly seeking to reduce the age qualifications for interested candidates to contest for the positions of president, governor and senate in the country to 30 years which has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. The bill, which also makes provision for independent candidacy into the country’s electoral process, further reduces the age qualifications to contest for the House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly to 25 years.

The Bill is an alteration of section 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the 1999 constitution which had prescribed qualification into the office of President to 40 years and above, office of governors and senate, 35 years and above as well as House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly to 25 years and above.

The lawmaker was able to craft a suitable phrase to send the message of what the bill stands for deep down and perpetrating into the body, soul and spirit of everyone who comes across or hears about it. He called it "not too young to run".

I am not particularly moved because the young and seemingly conscientious Hon. Nwulu was able to draft and sponsor a bill, but his energy drive towards making sure the bill sees the light of the day stands out for me.

It is pertinent to point out that it is uncommon in the Nigerian political system, in the National Assembly in particular, for a lawmaker to individually pursue a bill the way Hon. Nwulu has been doing with "not too young to run", especially, when the bill does not seem to protect the parochial interest of a particular group, religion or ethnic nationality.

This is the bitter truth, if a bill is designed to protect a parochial interest, the cabals rally round to make sure it is made law.

However, Hon Nwulu's "not too young to run" bill is for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion or ethnic nationality. It is a bill for the entire Nigerian youths who have been clamoring for better opportunities to make a statement in the political sphere of the country, to take a robust bite at the cherry. It is a bill both for the poor and rich.

One cannot deny he is a youth, but everything about him at the National Assembly really shows that he had a plan, a masterful blueprint, before embarking on the journey to Abuja; not limited to but including how he has handled the "not too young to run bill" which is currently making all the waves.

Everything shows that the last thing on his mind was to read out the bill during the plenary meeting and then go to sleep, unlike his numerous counterparts and predecessors do and had done over and over.

Today, Hon Nwulu has not only let the entire nation know about the "not too young to run" bill, he has also succeeded in letting the world know about it. The campaigns and awareness so far created on the bill both locally and internationally has been enormous and quite unprecedented. The former national coordinator of PDP Youth Advocacy Initiative has got class and is blazing the trail. He understands what lawmaking should be all about, the rudiments, ethics and ethos, and having the clear understanding that he is in Abuja to help transform the fortunes of his constituents and Nigerians in general for the better through the art of lawmaking. From my assessment, he has been excellent and professional.

Hon. Nwulu must be a conformist to the fact that the number of bills a lawmaker sponsors does not award him or her any certificate for achievement, instead, what matters is how many of them survives the the rough and rocky path between its presentation, readings on the floor of the house, debate, and then passage into law.

Remarkably, while Hon. Nwulu's "not too young to run" bill passed second reading on the floor of the house, he is in USA brainstorming with the best of democrats, participating in conferences and speaking to the world audience about his bill and its benefit to the Nigerian political system.

He has been robbing minds with great leaders and men of valour in Africa and USA. He has been speaking about the electoral system and process in Nigeria and juxtaposing it with that of USA.

The vibrant legislator has surely gone to impart knowledge and also tap from the pool of knowledge available in faraway USA. He is proving nothing short of a good ambassador to Nigeria despite the attendant challenges to democracy and good governance in the country.

I make bold to say that Nigeria, Imo State and Igbo land are blessed to have such a leader with a touch of difference and who has vision, foresight and insight. He is a politician who does not believe in allowing the negative status quo to remain, but is ever committed and working to advance our nascent democracy for the good of all through robust and people-oriented legislation.

It is my belief that Hon. Nwulu has been destined to attain the highest wrungs of political and leadership accomplishment, and people like him can change Nigeria for the better if they are able to withstand and defeat the principalities that be. And I pray he does.

The hardworking rep member has not been found wanting either in his direct relationship with his constituents. A pip at his other achievements since 2015 till date speaks volumes. The real, mega and genuine empowerment schemes for his constituents speaks for themselves. He came to make a difference and I dare say, I am proud his routes can be traced to Imo State and Igbo land.

I have not met Rt Hon Tony Nwulu before, but if have the opportunity to do so in future, I will tell him: "You are what a lawmaker should be".

Keep the flag flying.

Lancelot Obiaku writes from Owerri, Imo State. 08073659174. Follow on twitter: @LanceDeGreat.

He doesn't look like someone in his 30s