Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said Sunday, that anyone, notwithstanding the age, should be allowed to lead the country, as long as the citizens chose the person.
He noted that it would be wrong to determine minimum age for a presidential candidate without also specifying the maximum age beyond which one would no longer be able to contest.
The former president said such things should be hinged on capability and competence, rather than age, citing the example of Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who became military Head of State at the age of 33.
Obasanjo said this while commenting on the bill by the Senate to reduce the age of presidential candidates from 40 to 35.
The former president appeared on Sunday as the guest speaker at an exposition series tagged, “God in my life,” organised by the Torchbearer Society of Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos.
“Quite frankly, if we put minimum age, why are we not putting maximum age? If they put minimum age and then say that even if you are 90, you can be president, because there is no age limit to being president.
“To me, there should be no age limit. Gen. Gowon (retd.) became the Head of State at the age of 33, I became the Head of State at 39…
“I believe there should be no age limit; let the people decide,” Obasanjo said.
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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