The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have all expressed strong disapproval of the recent proposal by the House of Representatives to impose age limits for candidates vying for the offices of President and Governor in Nigeria.
The bill, which passed its second reading on Thursday, seeks to prevent individuals over the age of 60 from contesting for the highest offices in the land.
If the bill is approved by the legislature and signed into law, it would bar prominent political figures such as President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi from running in the 2027 presidential election, as all three are above the proposed age limit of 60.
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The PDP swiftly criticized the move as a misguided priority, accusing lawmakers of fixating on inconsequential matters while neglecting the country’s more pressing issues.
According to the party, Nigeria’s core challenges, such as corruption, incompetence, and lack of patriotism are not age-related but structural and systemic in nature.
In a statement, the PDP argued that the real focus of the lawmakers should be on addressing these deeper issues, rather than imposing arbitrary age restrictions.
The party’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, further lambasted the move, calling the current set of lawmakers “the most irresponsible in Nigeria’s history.” Osadolor asserted that Nigeria’s problems lie not in the age of its leaders, but in their competence and integrity.
He noted that countries such as India and Singapore, led by leaders well past 60, have continued to make remarkable strides in governance and development.
“The problem we have is not about age or date of birth,” Osadolor said. “It’s about incompetence and corruption.
We should focus on real issues, not distractions. Age does not determine competence or effectiveness.”
In contrast, the SDP, while acknowledging that age could play a role in governance, argued that leadership success is more dependent on experience, values, and competence.
Rufus Aiyenigba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, highlighted that while young leaders have played critical roles in the country’s history, success in governance depends on a balance of energy and experience.
Aiyenigba proposed that a more effective way to assess a candidate’s fitness for leadership would be through structured systems such as mandatory live debates, where presidential hopefuls can showcase their intellectual, emotional, and leadership capabilities. “What is important is the quality a person is bringing to the table. We need a structured assessment to gauge leadership capacity,” he stated.
Mark Adebayo, National Publicity Secretary of the CUPP, also rejected the proposal, arguing that leadership quality is not determined by age but by competence, patriotism, and integrity. He pointed to international examples like US President Joe Biden, who at 79 continues to lead the country, and Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew, who transformed his nation well into his 60s.
Adebayo emphasized that regardless of age, it is the character and competence of leaders that ultimately define their effectiveness.
The bill, which seeks to amend sections of the Nigerian Constitution regarding the qualifications for presidential and gubernatorial candidates, was sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing the Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State.
Under the proposed amendment, individuals seeking to run for president or governor must be educated to at least a university degree level and must be no older than 60 years at the time of their candidacy.
As the bill moves through the legislative process, political analysts and citizens alike are left to debate whether age should truly be a barrier to leadership or if, as many have argued, the focus should remain on the qualifications, character, and competence of those who seek to govern the country.
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