Reps move to lower age requirement for governors, senators to 30
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed, for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to reduce the minimum age for contesting governorship and senatorial seats from 35 to 30, The Cable reports.
The proposed legislation, titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Reduce the Age for Qualification for Membership of the Senate and Office of the Governor and for Related Matters (HB. 2235)’, is sponsored by Esin Etim alongside 24 other lawmakers.
Under the current constitutional provisions, candidates for the Senate and governorship must be at least 35, while those contesting for House of Representatives seats may run from age 25.
Etim, who represents the Offong/Oruko/Udung Uko federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State, argued that the existing age threshold for higher political offices limits the advancement of young Nigerians. He noted that the 10-year gap between eligibility for the House and the Senate or governorship hinders the progression of young legislators who begin their political careers early.
According to him, many lawmakers who enter the House at 25 and serve two four-year terms would be 33 but still ineligible to seek a Senate seat or run for governor. The bill, he said, aims to reduce the age requirement from 35 to 30, thereby maintaining a five-year gap between the House and higher offices.
“If a member of this house at 25 years spends two terms in the house of representatives, he will be 33 years and he will still not be qualified to go to the senate or to become a governor,” Etim said.
“So, I think that this honourable house should look into it and we maintain the gap between the office of the governor and senate, as it were, and that of the house at the five years that it has always been.”
Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House, put the bill to a voice vote without debate, and a majority of lawmakers supported its second reading.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action.
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