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Prof. Pat Utomi says Nigerians above 70 years should not run for president or governor.
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He argues executive offices require physical and mental stamina.
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Utomi says ageing leaders burden taxpayers with poor service delivery.
Political economist and public affairs analyst, Prof. Pat Utomi, has said that Nigerians above the age of 70 should be barred from contesting for executive offices such as president and governor.
Utomi made the assertion on Thursday during an interview on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television, where he spoke on leadership, governance, and eligibility for public office in Nigeria.
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According to him, while elderly politicians may still function effectively in the legislature, executive positions demand a level of physical and mental energy that declines significantly with age.
“I will continue to tell Nigerians that nobody over the age of 70 should run for an executive position, whether governor or president,” Utomi said.
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He added that lawmakers could remain in parliament into their mid or late seventies, but warned against turning the presidency into a “retirement home” for ageing politicians who frequently require medical attention.
Utomi argued that the continued election of elderly leaders comes at a high cost to taxpayers, who, he said, are deprived of quality governance and effective service delivery.
He stressed that Nigeria must begin to prioritise competence, capacity, and stamina in choosing leaders, insisting that national development depends on having physically and mentally fit individuals in executive offices.
