Now that the Nigerian National Assembly has passed the bill that 35 year olds can run for president, do you genuinely (personally) know any 35 year old Nigerian that can fund a presidential election in Nigeria?
Like, seriously, do you even know someone that knows someone who’s 35 in Nigeria and can single handedly bankroll a presidential election? Without any help from his rich parents or anyone else?
I don’t think so!
Many 35 year olds in Nigeria can’t even fund their own wedding. Like I said earlier this year, when Emmanuel Macron was elected president of France, we don’t necessarily need the reduction of age, rather, what we need are more favourable electoral policies that can make running for offices more affordable for people with top leadership qualities but less financial war chest. I suggested that the spending cap already in place be enforced and giving of gifts such as cash and/or food items to electorates by electoral candidates be made a criminal offence — this is bribery.
Party nomination forms should also be made cheaper. The APC 2014/2015 presidential primary elections’ form cost 25 million Naira per candidate. How many 35 year olds in Nigeria can actually afford 25 million Naira to buy a form?
99.9% of young people aren’t going to benefit from this new bill until we have a situation where candidates don’t have to fund their own elections; a time where candidates are nominated and funded by their parties based on their intellect, leadership prowess and marketability –I dislike this aspect of democracy, by the way, but I can’t always have it my way. If we don’t get the money aspects of our politics right, the real beneficiaries of this age reduction bill will be the kids of powerful politicians and other very wealthy Nigerians.
– Sulayman Ahmad
