There should be no age limit for president –Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Sunday that age
should not be a barrier for anyone to lead the country, as long as
the person has been chosen by the citizens.

He argued that it was not right to stipulate minimum age for a
presidential candidate without also specifying the maximum age
beyond which one would no longer be able to contest.

According to him, capability and competence, rather than age,
should be the qualifications for leadership, recalling that Gen.
Yakubu Gowon became military Head of State at the age of 33.

Obasanjo said this while commenting on the proposition by the
Senate to reduce the age of presidential candidates from 40 to
35.

The former ppresident featured 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.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Sunday that age
should not be a barrier for anyone to lead the country, as long as
the person has been chosen by the citizens.

He argued that it was not right to stipulate minimum age for a
presidential candidate without also specifying the maximum age
beyond which one would no longer be able to contest.

According to him, capability and competence, rather than age,
should be the qualifications for leadership, recalling that Gen.
Yakubu Gowon became military Head of State at the age of 33.

Obasanjo said this while commenting on the proposition by the
Senate to reduce the age of presidential candidates from 40 to
35.

The former ppresident featured 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.