Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has called on African nations to prioritise individuals aged between 25 and 50 for key governance positions, citing their physical strength, mental alertness and stamina to withstand the rigours of public office.
Jonathan made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during a memorial lecture and leadership conference organised by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of former Head of State, Murtala Muhammed.
The former president urged a further review of age requirements for elective offices beyond the gains achieved under Nigeria’s “Not Too Young to Run” reforms.
“I think we need to bring it lower. If we are looking for people who can run nations in Africa, we should look at the age within 25 and 50,” Jonathan said.
“That is the way you can be very vibrant, physically strong, and mentally sound. If they need to stay awake for 24 hours, they can stay awake for 24 hours.”
He contrasted his proposal with existing constitutional thresholds, which require candidates to be at least 40 years old for positions such as senator, governor and deputy governor, and older for the presidency.
Reflecting on his own experience in office, Jonathan noted the physical demands of leadership.
“When I was in office, I was older than that. Some days, I did not sleep up to two hours,” he said. “So, if you subject an older person to that kind of stress, the person will spend 50 percent of the time in the hospital.”
He also referenced Murtala Muhammed, who assumed power at age 38 and, according to Jonathan, implemented far-reaching reforms within 200 days through decisive leadership and a strong sense of national duty.
The former president further expressed concern that some governors spend significant time outside their states either abroad or in Abuja leaving governance gaps that contribute to ongoing security and development challenges.
