60-Yeas Age Limit: PDP, Others Reject Bill to Set Age Limit for President, Governors, Says There Should be Live Debate Instead

The PDP, CUPP, and SDP have strongly opposed a proposed bill of 60-year age limit in the House of Representatives seeking to bar individuals over 60 from contesting for president and governor in Nigeria.

60-Year Age Limit

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have condemned a bill proposed by the House of Representatives to impose an age limit of 60 years for candidates contesting for the offices of president and governor in Nigeria.

The controversial bill, which passed its second reading on Thursday, aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to set new eligibility criteria for these top political offices. If enacted into law, it would disqualify President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from contesting in the 2027 elections.

The PDP described the proposal as a misplaced priority, accusing lawmakers of focusing on trivial matters instead of tackling the country’s real governance issues. Timothy Osadolor, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, slammed the bill, calling the lawmakers “the most unserious assembly in Nigeria’s history.” He argued that the nation’s problems stem from corruption, incompetence, and lack of patriotism—not age.

Read also: Atiku Slams FG’s 18-year Age Limit For NECO, WASSCE, Says Move Disincentive To Education

Similarly, CUPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mark Adebayo, rejected the notion that leadership effectiveness depends on age. He emphasized that Nigeria’s governance crisis is caused by corruption and poor leadership, not the age of politicians. Adebayo cited examples like U.S. President Joe Biden and Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, who led effectively beyond 60, to stress that competence should be the key criterion, not age.

The SDP took a slightly different stance, acknowledging that age plays some role in governance but insisting that leadership success depends more on experience, values, and competence. SDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, suggested that instead of setting an age cap, presidential candidates should be required to participate in live debates to prove their competence and vision.