WE MUST REMOVE AGE BARRIER FOR ELECTIVE OFFICES

Recently there have been a very serious campaign to reduce the constitutional age for elective offices in Nigeria, the campaign is tagged “not to young to run” and it has garnered some level of force across the youthful Nigerian electorate.

In fact a bill is before the NASS on the said subject matter.

Let me state upfront that I have always been in support of young people seeking political office.

My support is predicated on the boundless energy and unending innovation and creativity that the Nigerian youths (if we can lure the right youths to politics) will bring to bear in our political architecture.

I am sadly against the so called not to young to run bill.

Today the media was awash with the recommendations of the Constitutional Amendment Committee of the NASS which seeks to reduce the age for HoR/House of Assembly to 25 years,  Senate and President 35 years and Governor 30 years.

As a result of the above there have been jubilation amongst my fellow young Nigerians but I am not celebrating this “victory”.

My reasons are simple: Nigeria should not have ANY age limitations for any elective political post except maybe for the President.

If our constitution in its wisdom believes that an 18 year old is old enough to make such a weighty decision as to whom to vote for in an election, then it should also give credence that such persons can as well aspire to any elective positions to which they can vote.

What our youths should therefore be pushing for is the TOTAL removal of age restrictions for elective positions.

That’s my position and on that I stand.

#saynotoagerestrictions

Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Masses Assembly