The House of Representatives in Nigeria on Thursday passed a bill for second reading that seeks to prohibit individuals above the age of 60 from contesting for the offices of President and Governor in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, aims to amend the 1999 Constitution by introducing stricter eligibility requirements for these key political positions.
According to the bill, any individual seeking to contest the presidency or a governorship position must not exceed 60 years of age at the time of the election. Additionally, candidates must possess at least a Bachelor’s degree. The bill specifically seeks to amend Section 131 of the constitution to introduce the age limit for presidential candidates and Section 177 to enforce the same requirement for governorship aspirants.
The House also considered and passed several other critical bills for second reading. Among them was the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Rep. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, which aims to upgrade the Alvan Ikoku College of Education in Imo State to a federal university.
Other significant bills included the Bill for the Creation of Ideato West Local Government Area, which seeks to establish an additional LGA in Imo State, and the Bill for Mandatory Inclusion of Youths and Persons with Disabilities in Political Appointments, which aims to reserve political positions for young people and individuals with disabilities.
Rep. Ugochinyere also sponsored a bill to move trade and commerce to the Concurrent Legislative List, granting both federal and state governments the authority to regulate economic activities. Another landmark proposal was the Reserved Seats for Women in National and State Assemblies Bill, championed by Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, which seeks to increase female representation in legislative bodies.
The House also advanced judicial reform bills, including the Timelines for Justice Administration Bill, sponsored by Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, which aims to expedite judicial proceedings, and a bill proposing an increase in the number of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal justices, sponsored by Rep. Bello Kaoje, to improve judicial efficiency.
Additionally, lawmakers debated proposals for the creation of new states, including Wan State (North Central) and Gobir State (Northwest).
