A bill currently on the floor of the House of Representatives, seeking to stop anyone above 60 years from vying for election to the offices of the Nigerian President and State Governor has triggered controversy.
According to report the bill, sponsored by Imo lawmaker, Ikenga Ugochinyere was passed for second reading at the lower legislative chamber on Thursday.
If the bill scales through legislative scrutiny and is signed into law, the majority of the 2027 presidential hopefuls, including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, will be missing.
This is because they are all over 60 years.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to review the requirements that qualify a person to be elected as President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Governors and Deputy Governor of a State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for Related Matters”, was one of the 31 proposed legislations which scaled second reading during Thursday’s plenary session.
The bill provides that “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President if he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.
“Section 131 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a paragraph which reads, “That he is not more than 60 years at the time of vying for the Office of President.
“Section 177(d) of the principal Act is amended by altering the educational requirement that qualifies persons to be elected as governor as follows:
“A person shall be qualified for election to the Office of the President if he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.
“That he is not more than 60 years old at the time of vying for the office of Governor.”
While the bill was spontaneously accepted by Nigerian youths, who feel they have been marginalized for years, others rejected the move.
Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill
On May 31, 2018, the then Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law, signalling hope for the younger generation, who may be vying for any political office.
The law reduces the age qualification for the office of Nigerian President from 40 to 35; state governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30 Federal House of Representatives and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
However, the majority of the elective positions across the country are still occupied by older politicians, fueling the move to enact law that would retire them and pave the way for younger politicians.
Some respondents, who spoke with DAILY POST on the age limit bill, expressed divergent opinions on the matter.
Nigeria needs clinical electoral reform system, not age limit – Osita Okechukwu
Mr. Osita Okechukwu, former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, and one of the founding brothers of the All Progressives Congress, APC, says rather that the age limit bill, Nigeria needs a clinical electoral reform system.
In a chat with DAILY POST, Osita opined that “age is a non-issue as per our national predicament. Rather the issue is the bandit mindset, whereby we all behave like bandits in all spheres of our life.
“Otherwise, how come we’ve cult members in junior secondary schools? Is it different from we the corrupt old men, whom they refer to as failed generations?
“All we need is a clinical electoral reform system as expressly recommended in the Uwais Report of 2008”.
The APC chieftain appealed to President Bola Tinubu, State Governors and members of the National and State Assemblies to “muster the political will to deepen our democracy and catapult Nigeria to giant status; by amending the constitutional nomination process of INEC and SIEC executives as recommended by Uwais Report interalia.
“Advertise all positions, spelling out requisite Qualifications! Receive Applications/Nominations from the General Public; Shortlist 3 Persons for each position and send to the National Council of State to select one from the Shortlist and forward to the Senate for Confirmation”.
“My submission is that it is only the truly independent INEC and SIEC which will ensure the highest quality and the highest standard of our general elections”, he added.
Ageism can’t stand in Nigerian law – Sowore
The 54-year-old presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the last election, Omoyele Sowore has also rejected the bill, stating that such discrimination won’t stand in Nigerian law.
In a chat with DAILY POST, Sowore expressed pessimism about the progression of the bill, saying it may not see the light of day.
According to Sowore, “I am pretty sure the proposal won’t see the light of the day, I just think these legislators are trying to divert attention away from the scandalous role and the bribery saga involving the rivers state emergency rule.
“Any form of discrimination can’t stand in law, if it is based on age it is known as ageism. The fact that it is generally attractive doesn’t make it acceptable”.
Only the youths can savage Nigeria – Former Rep candidate
In his own view, Terzulum Ukpanya, a former candidate of the Labour Party for the Gboko/Tarka Federal constituency in Benue State said Nigeria may remain underdeveloped if the older politicians remain in power.
He said, “It is only when the Nigerian youths take back their country from these failed old politicians that things will be better.
“The only thing they know is how to acquire wealth for their unborn grandchildren. They have no vision for the country, they only plan for their pockets and that is why we keep seeing these unnecessary fights between them.
“It is so bad that when they get into power, they will want to plant their boys, who will be fraudulently remitting government money go them. This thing has been going on for ages and that is why we are where we are today.
“Their selfish interests have widened the gap between the rich and the poor because they keep acquiring wealth at the expense of the poor people.
“The president of France is just 47 years old. Go there and see what he is doing there. If President Tinubu falls sick today, he will go to a country where a 47-year-old boy is ruling. This is shameful.
“The age limit bill is a very good one but then, even if it is passed, who will sign it? It won’t go anywhere”.
