…Peg Age Limit At 60

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed for second reading a bill seeking to bar individuals above 60 years from contesting for the Offices of President and Governor in Nigeria.

The bill, if passed and signed into law would make President Bola Tinubu, who will be 75 years by 2027, former vice president and presidential candidate of the PDP in 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, who will be 81 and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, who will be 66, ineligible to recontest in the next general elections.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) is titled “An Act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (with alteration) in order to review the requirements that qualifies a person to be elected as president, vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, governor and deputy governor of a state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for related matters”.

Ugochinyere is seeking the amendment of section 131 by altering paragraph (d) of the section to read “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if (d) he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.

“Section 131 (e) he is not more than sixty (60) years at the time of vying for the Office of President”.

The same requirements apply for governorship and deputy governorship candidates as prescribed in the amendment of Section 177.

Also yesterday, the House passed through second reading bills seeking for an act to set a timeline within which civil and criminal cases are heard, involve the National Assembly in the process of treaty negotiation, provide for the listing of the National Assembly Service Commission and State Houses of Assembly Service Commission as Independent Bodies.

They also passed a bill to create Bende North Local Government Area from the existing Bende Local Government in Abia state (Where Deputy Speaker Kalu hails from).

The lawmakers equally passed through second reading bills seeking establishment of the University of Nigerian Languages, Aba, Abia state and provide for the conduct of population census every ten years.

The proposed legislations were sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and some other lawmakers and were presented for second reading by the House leader, Julius Ihonvbere.

They are, “Bill for An Act to Repeal the National Institute for Nigerian Languages Act, Cap. N50, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Provisions for the Establishment of the University of Nigerian Languages, Aba, Abia State to Make Comprehensive Provisions of its Due Management and Administration and for related matters.

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Involvement of the National Assembly in the Process of Negotiation for and Entering into Treaties with Other Countries.

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Provide for the listing of the National Assembly Service Commission and State House of Assembly Service Commission as Independent Bodies Under Sections 158 and 197 Respectively; to Enhance the Independence of the National Assembly Service Commission and State House of Assembly Service Commission, to Clearly Designate the Clerk of the National Assembly and Clerks of State Houses of Assembly as Heads of Legislative Service at the National and Sub-national Levels”.

Others are “Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to Set Time Within Which Civil and Criminal Cases and Matters Are Heard and Determined at Trial and Appellate Courts in Order to Eliminate Unnecessary Delay in Justice Administration and Delivery; and for Related Matters.

“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Creation of Bende North Local Government Area Out of the Present Bende Local Government Area of Abia State; To Rename Bende Local Government Area as Bende South Local Government Area of Abia State and

“Bill for an act to provide for the conduct of population census every ten years after the publication by the President of a population census report.”

For the University of Nigerian Languages Aba, Abia State, the bill seeks to provide for the upgrade of the institute to a university to allow it to run degree programmes.

For the civil and criminal cases, it seeks to provide for the alteration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Altered) to set time within which the matters are heard and determined at trial and appellate courts in order to eliminate unnecessary delays in justice administration and delivery.

The treaties bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Altered) to provide for the involvement of the National Assembly in the process of negotiation for and entering into treaties with other countries.

The Bende Bill seeks to alter the Constitution to provide for the creation of the Bende North Local Government Area out of the present Bende Local Government Area of Abia State and to rename the present Bende Local Government Area as the Bende South Local Government Area of Abia State.

The bills have been referred to the Special Ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative actions.