As Age Qualification Bill passes 2nd reading
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.
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.”
