As Age Qualification Bill passes 2nd reading

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—THE Bill 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 yesterday 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.


INEC boss, Mahmood Yakubu
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.

In his lead debate, the sponsor of the bill, Tony Chinedu Nwulu representing Oshodi-Isolo 11 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, on platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, noted that electing candidates into public offices was an important aspect of democratic practices.

He stated: “Countries like the United Kingdom parliament decided in 2006 to lower their age of candidacy from 21 to 18, which had existed since the Parliamentary Elections Act 1695. An age candidacy of 25 would encourage greater youth participation in politics.”

Nwulu stated that many countries world wide had called for a reduction in age qualification into elected offices, adding that the bill was a demonstration of the growing desire and demand of youths to participate in the democratic process.

According to him, “this desire itself could be viewed as a sufficient warrant for young people to participate, demonstrate a willingness to engage and fulfill the burdens of office.”

On the Independent candidacy, he stressed the need to open up the space for lawmakers to come in as independent candidates.

He said: “It is pertinent now to amend the constitution to make room for independent candidates to widen the democratic processes in our elections, and above all to encourage our young ones to fully participate in all elective offices.”

Sweetlemon:
Beautiful! Now we talking about including young and fresh talents!

STFUand4kMeHARD:
Bastardss, with all this killings and diabolism during elections? They should create the enabling environment for youth to grow economically and stop giving silly impression of care. 30yrs ni, 10yrs ko.
Mtcheeeeew

jumper524:
the year u start appreciating tins thats when ur articificial frustration would be cured

SamuelAnyawu:
Reducing the age limit has nothing to do with poor Nigerian youths I see jubilating here...

Our elites now has the opportunity to fix in their kids after the are back from USA/UK Masters programmes...

From Tunubu kids to Rochas kids to Saraki kids to Kwankwaso kids to Nyarkyo kids to Andy Uba kids and so on and so forth

How many Nigerian youths can pay one million naira or 2million naira for a National Assembly form?

All I need is for government to reduce the salaries and allowances of all top government officials...

If a House of Reps candidate earns 100k monthly I don't think National assembly forms for any political party will be up to 50k and will surely refuse to spray money carelessly during electioneering campaigns

STFUand4kMeHARD:

Which youth would have made it enough at 30yrs to fund elections with this our economic sitiation aside their children and sponsored stugdes. Deceive not thyself woman. They should keep their leadership but provide us with the basic things to grow and when we do grow, then we shall worry about power.

STFUand4kMeHARD:
Bastardss, with all this killings and diabolism during elections? They should create the enabling environment for youth to grow economically and stop giving silly impression of care. 30yrs ni, 10yrs ko.
Mtcheeeeew

STFUand4kMeHARD:

Which youth would have made it enough at 30yrs to fund elections with this our economic sitiation aside their children and sponsored stugdes. Deceive not thyself woman. They should keep their leadership but provide us with the basic things to grow and when we do grow, then we shall worry about power.

Sweetlemon:
Beautiful! Now we talking about including young and fresh talents!

STFUand4kMeHARD:

Which youth would have made it enough at 30yrs to fund elections with this our economic sitiation aside their children and sponsored stugdes. Deceive not thyself woman. They should keep their leadership but provide us with the basic things to grow and when we do grow, then we shall worry about power.

Sweetlemon:


You are right, but if there's a more sincere process, then there's hope for us.

greatiyk4u:



Poverty, ill luck and laziness has done a lot of damages to your thinking faculty.................at 30, many Nigerians have the charisma, the finesse, finance and the popularity to win in a free and fair election, elections all over the world are sponsored by well wishers

bejeiodus:
I don't really understand the cynical views of many posters here. The political field has just been expanded to accommodate more people but some people could not hide cynicism. Those who have the material resources and are eminently qualified can now test their popularity without being encumbered by age. Seeking political office is an expensive exercise all over the world. It appears some people expect to have it all handed to them on a silver platter.