The recent decision by the House of Representatives to set age restrictions for Nigerian president and governorships has been sharply denounced by the PDP, the Social Democratic Party, and the Coalition of United Political Parties.
The measure, which was approved on Thursday after its second reading, suggests that those above 60 should not be allowed to run for the nation’s governorship or presidency. Figures like President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, would not be eligible to run for president in 2027 if the measure is adopted and signed into law because they are all older than 60.
The bill was condemned by the PDP as having a misplaced priority, claiming that parliamentarians were ignoring more important concerns in favor of petty ones. Age is unrelated to Nigeria’s primary governance issues, the party stressed: corruption, ineptitude, and a lack of patriotism.
Timothy Osadolor, the deputy national youth leader for the PDP, attacked the MPs, hailing them as “the most irresponsible in Nigeria’s history.”
He stated that the corruption and ineptitude that plague the nation are the real problems, not age.
He said, “Our current issue is not one of age or birthdate. It is incapacity and incompetence that are our issue. We are dealing with a corruption issue.
Other nations with successful leaders over 60, like Singapore and India, were also mentioned by Osadolor.
In order to emphasize that leadership should not be hindered by age, he said, “Age is not a factor.” He also attacked the MPs for neglecting the underlying problems that Nigeria faces and instead concentrating on trivial matters.
Additionally, Mark Adebayo, the National Publicity Secretary for the CUPP, disagreed with the idea that age determines a leader’s quality.
The fundamental problems with Nigeria’s governance, he noted, are ineptitude, corruption, and a lack of patriotism.
He used the late 70s-aged U.S. President Joe Biden and the late-seventies-aged former leader of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, to emphasize that leadership skills are not limited by age.
“Efficacy is determined by personality, competence, education, exposure, and patriotism,” Adebayo stated, contending that these attributes, not age, are what make a leader effective.
Meanwhile, SDP National Publicity Secretary Rufus Aiyenigba acknowledged that age can play a role in governance but stressed that leadership is also a function of experience, values, and competence.
He proposed the introduction of mandatory live debates for presidential candidates to evaluate their intellectual and emotional capacities.
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“What is important is the quality a person is bringing,” Aiyenigba told, suggesting that public debates would allow voters to assess candidates’ vision and fitness for office.
Aiyenigba concluded by emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to leadership, combining youthful energy with experience.
He argued that governance is a role requiring individuals who have been tested and prepared, not just those who meet arbitrary age requirements.
