I Don’t See My Gender, Age As Hurdles – 26-Year-Old Kwara Assembly Member-Elect Shittu…

The member-elect of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing the Owode/Onire Constituency, Rukayat Shittu, has asserted that her identity as a woman and youth are not barriers in politics.

On May 31, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Not Too Young to Run Act into law with the aim to reduce the minimum ages for elective offices provided for by law.

The enactment paved the way for Shittu’s historic emergence as the youngest female House of Assembly member-elect in Nigeria.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) member stated that the stereotype of being a young person and a woman did not stand in the way of her political ambition.

The 26-year-old described her drive and enthusiasm for governance and community development as a strong test to counter stereotypes in the political sphere.

The former Senate President of Congress of NOUN Students (CONS) admonished young people to be optimistic, responsibility-inclined and not to shy away from political positions, adding that competition is a major part of achieving democracy.