House Of Representatives Revisits Controversial Age-Limit Bill

Age-Limit Bill Faces Uncertain Future in the House of Representatives

Well, listen up, folks. The House of Representatives is about to make a big decision that could change the rules of the political game in Nigeria. There's a controversial bill on the table that seeks to disqualify individuals over the age of 60 from running for major offices like President, Vice President, Governor, or Deputy Governor. But here's the kicker: this bill might not even make it past the starting line. Sources close to the House are saying that there's a strong push to reverse the earlier decision to move forward with this legislation.

The bill in question, sponsored by Hon. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), has already passed the second reading. It's officially titled "A Bill to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (with alterations), to Review the Requirements for Elective Executive Offices and for Related Matters.” Sounds pretty official, right? But what it really means is a major shake-up in who can run for office.

Ugochinyere, who holds the position as the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and serves as the spokesperson for the Opposition Coalition in the 10th House, wants to change Section 131 of the Constitution. If this bill goes through, it would require presidential candidates to have a university degree and be under 60 years old at the time of running for office. The same rules would apply to those seeking gubernatorial or deputy gubernatorial positions under Section 177.

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Now, think about this: if this bill becomes law, it would disqualify some of Nigeria's most prominent political figures. Names like President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and even former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai would all be ineligible to run in the 2027 general elections. This is a big deal, and it's stirring up quite the controversy.

Why the Bill is Facing Resistance

Let me tell you, there's a lot of pushback against this bill. Sources inside the House are saying that there's a strong internal opposition, with serious lobbying efforts underway to make sure this bill doesn't go any further. One lawmaker, speaking to New Telegraph, put it bluntly: "Those who think this bill will pass are living in a fantasy world. There are efforts going on to make sure it gets dropped before it goes any further. It’s not going anywhere.”

It's not just the lawmakers who are unhappy. The executive branch, especially President Tinubu, is reportedly not thrilled with the implications of this bill. "We understand Mr. President is not happy that such a 'toxic' bill could pass in a House controlled by his allies," the lawmaker said. "Just like the immunity removal bill for vice presidents, governors, and their deputies, this age restriction bill will also be shelved."

According to insiders, the bill is expected to be withdrawn shortly after the National Assembly resumes from the Sallah and Easter break. "Watch out, as soon as we resume, you’ll hear that the bill has been withdrawn for more consultation. I also think it was a misstep by the Deputy Speaker who presided over that session—did he really believe President Tinubu would sign a bill that disqualifies him from running in 2027? This is Nigeria!"

History Repeats Itself: A Familiar Pattern of Reversals

This situation might feel familiar because it's not the first time the House has reversed a controversial decision. Remember the bill that sought to strip the Vice President, governors, and their deputies of immunity? That's right, the same thing happened there. The bill, sponsored by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers), aimed to curb corruption and enhance accountability by amending the constitution.

Initially, the House approved the bill, but within 24 hours, they reversed their decision, citing the need for more extensive debate. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu addressed the situation by saying, "We want to apologize to the sponsors of the bills, but this action is to enable the House to have a further debate considering the importance of the subject matters.”

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The Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo), led the motion to rescind that decision, and many believe that the same pattern might repeat itself with the age-limit bill. If history is any indicator, this bill might not have a future in the House of Representatives.