Barring any last-minute changes, the House of Representatives may reverse its earlier decision to advance a controversial bill seeking to disqualify individuals above the age of 60 from contesting for the offices of President, Vice President, Governor, and Deputy Governor in Nigeria.
The bill, sponsored by Hon. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), passed second reading penultimate Thursday and is 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.”
Ugochinyere, who chairs the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and serves as spokesperson of the Opposition Coalition in the 10th House, is pushing to amend Section 131 of the Constitution to state that a person seeking the presidency must: (d) “…have been educated up to at least university level and has earned a bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study,” and
(e) “…not be more than sixty (60) years at the time of vying for the office of President.”
A similar amendment is proposed under Section 177 for candidates seeking gubernatorial or deputy gubernatorial positions.
If passed and signed into law, the bill would render several prominent political figures—including President Bola Tinubu (75 in 2027), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (81), and Labour Party’s Peter Obi (66)—ineligible for the 2027 general elections. It would also bar former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who would be 67 by 2027 and is reportedly positioning himself to run under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Bill Faces Internal Resistance
Sources within the House have disclosed that there is strong internal opposition to the bill, with lobbying underway to ensure it is dropped before reaching further legislative stages.
Speaking to New Telegraph, one lawmaker revealed, “Those who think that bill will scale through the House are living in a world of fantasy. There are ongoing efforts to ensure the bill is dropped. It is not going anywhere.”
The source added that the bill has sparked discontent within the executive arm, especially with President Tinubu reportedly unhappy about its implications.
“We understand Mr. President is not happy that such a ‘toxic’ bill could be allowed to pass in a House controlled by his men,” the lawmaker said.
“Just like the immunity removal bill for vice president, governors, and deputy governors, this age restriction bill will also be shelved.”
According to the lawmaker, 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!”
Not the First Time a Controversial Bill Faces Reversal
This latest development mirrors a previous scenario in which the House reversed a resolution to pass a bill that would have stripped the Vice President, governors, and their deputies of immunity.
That bill, sponsored by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers), sought to amend the constitution to curb corruption and enhance accountability.
After its initial approval, the House reversed its decision within 24 hours, citing the need for more extensive debate.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over that session, stated: “We want to apologise 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.”
The Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo), led the motion to rescind that decision, a move many believe may be replicated in the case of the age-limit bill.
