The Nigerian House of Representatives have proposed a bill to set a 60-year age limit for presidential and gubernatorial candidates, sparking widespread criticism from opposition parties.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP) have all condemned the move, labeling it a “misplaced priority”.¹
The proposed bill, which passed its second reading in the House of Representatives, aims to prevent individuals over 60 from running for president and governor.
However, opposition parties argue that this move is unnecessary and that Nigeria’s main governance challenges lie in corruption, incompetence, and lack of patriotism, rather than age.
Critics point out that if the bill becomes law, President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi would all be ineligible to run in the 2027 presidential election due to their age.
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor described the lawmakers as “the most irresponsible in Nigeria’s history,” arguing that age is not the issue, but rather incompetence, corruption, and lack of capacity.
Other opposition parties have also weighed in, with CUPP National Publicity Secretary Mark Adebayo stating that leadership quality is not tied to age, but rather to factors like personality, competence, education, and patriotism.
The SDP, while acknowledging the importance of youth in governance, emphasized that leadership requires experience, values, and competence. They proposed mandatory live debates for presidential candidates to assess their intellectual and emotional capacities.
