House of Reps Advances Bill to Bar Over-60s from Presidential, Gubernatorial Elections
A bill to prohibit those over 60 from running for president and governor of Nigeria was approved by the House of Representatives on Thursday during its second reading.
Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere is the bill’s sponsor. It suggests amending the 1999 Constitution to update the requirements for these important political posts.
Both presidential and gubernatorial candidates must be under 60 years old when they run for office, according to the measure.
The bill stipulates that candidates must be at least a Bachelor’s degree holder in their field of study in addition to the age restriction.
The Constitution’s Sections 131, which regulates presidential eligibility, and 177, which addresses the requirements for gubernatorial candidates, are the explicit targets of the modifications.
The House cleared a number of other important proposals for second reading in addition to the age limit law. Among these bills are:
The Alvan Ikoku Federal institution of Education Bill, which is supported by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Representative Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, aims to raise educational standards in the area by converting Imo State’s Alvan Ikoku College of Education into a federal institution.
The Ideato West Local Government Area Creation Bill: In order to improve administrative effectiveness and encourage growth, this bill suggests establishing an extra local government area in Imo State.
A bill that would require young people and people with disabilities to be included in political appointments By guaranteeing special seats for youth and individuals with disabilities in political appointments, this bill—which is also sponsored by Representative Ugochinyere—aims to advance diversity in governance.
Proposal to Add Commerce and Trade to the Concurrent Legislative List: Rep. Ugochinyere is the sponsor of this measure, which aims to provide the federal and state governments the power to control trade and commerce in order to promote increased economic activity and collaboration across the country.
Bill for Women’s Reserved Seats in the National and State Assemblies: This initiative, which is sponsored by Representative Kafilat Ogbara, aims to advance gender equality in governance by establishing designated seats for women in the National Assembly and state legislatures.
Read Also: “It Was a Private Visit – Onanuga Clarifies Tinubu and Mahama’s Meeting”
Additionally, two significant bills for judicial reform were introduced:
Schedule for the Justice Administration Bill, which Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu is sponsoring: aims to cut down on legal system delays and speed up judicial procedures.
The bill, which is sponsored by Representative Bello Kaoje, would increase the number of justices in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in order to increase the effectiveness of the legal system.
New State Creation: Bills aiming to establish new states, such as the Gobir State in the Northwest and the Wan State in the North Central region, were also addressed in the House.
