The Peoples Democratic Party, the Coalition of United Political Parties, and the Social Democratic Party have strongly criticised the move by the House of Representatives to impose age limits for presidential and governorship positions in Nigeria.
The House, through a bill that passed second reading on Thursday, aims to disqualify individuals above 60 years from running for the offices of President and Governor. If passed into law, this would effectively bar President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, from contesting in the 2027 presidential elections, as they are all above 60.
The PDP condemned the proposed age restriction as a misplaced priority, accusing lawmakers of focusing on trivial issues rather than addressing critical governance challenges. The party maintained that Nigeria’s major issues stem from corruption, incompetence, and lack of patriotism, not age.
Speaking on the matter, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor called the lawmakers “the most irresponsible in Nigeria’s history.” He stated, “I believe and I am more convinced with this action of theirs, that this set of Senators and House of Representatives are the most unserious assembly we have ever had in the history of this country. The problem we have today is not of age or date of birth.
“The problem we have is that of incompetence and lack of capacity. The problem we have is that of corruption. So, instead of focusing on what the issues are, they are majoring on the minor and ‘minoring’ on the major things. It is a misnomer.”
Osadolor cited examples from other countries, such as India, Singapore, and the United States, where leaders over 60 have performed exceptionally. He stressed that age should not be seen as a limitation and warned the lawmakers not to embarrass themselves with such proposals.
Similarly, the CUPP rejected the notion that age should determine leadership quality. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mark Adebayo, argued that the problem lies in corruption and incompetence, not age.
He stated, “Even if these individuals were in their thirties, they would still behave the same way—or even worse. It’s not about age; it’s about who they are—evil, opportunistic, corrupt, and incompetent.”
Adebayo referenced global leaders like Joe Biden and Singapore’s founding leader, Lee Kuan Yew, to highlight that competence, not age, defines good leadership.
He added, “Look at Joe Biden in the US—he’s in his late seventies. Even the current US President is 79, yet there’s no debate about age affecting leadership capacity. It’s about personality, competence, education, exposure, and patriotism—qualities that these leaders lack.”
Adebayo also pointed out that Nigeria has had leaders under 50 and even under 40, but age did not guarantee good governance. He insisted that the proposed age limit amendment is irrelevant and that the real issue lies in the leaders’ incompetence and lack of patriotism.
The SDP acknowledged that while age could influence governance to some extent, leadership should primarily be based on experience, values, and competence. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, noted that governance is not an entry-level job but requires seasoned individuals who have been tested and prepared.
“Governance is a function of age in some sense. We have had very young people in leadership positions, from the military era to today. Some performed well, others did not. Age alone does not determine leadership success,” Aiyenigba remarked.
He proposed introducing a structured system to assess leadership qualities, including mandatory live debates for presidential candidates to evaluate their intellectual and emotional capacities. “What is important is the quality a person is bringing. How do we assess capacity and competence? Why don’t we make live debates compulsory for presidential candidates? That way, the public can judge their intelligence, vision, and fitness for leadership,” he suggested.
Aiyenigba emphasised that a balance between energy, dynamism, and experience is crucial for effective leadership, adding that the focus should be on preparing capable individuals rather than setting arbitrary age limits.
The bill, 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 sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State.
The bill stipulates that:
– A person must have at least a university education and a Bachelor’s degree to qualify for election as President.
– The candidate must not be older than 60 years at the time of vying for the office of President or Governor.
Despite the proposal, opposition from major political parties indicates that the bill may face significant hurdles during legislative scrutiny.
