From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Action Democratic Party of Nigeria (ADP), Alani Bankole, has opened up on why the party pegged the age of anyone vying for political office in the party at 65.

According to him, it is only younger people, with physical strength and mental health, who can cope with the demands and challenges of modern day governance. Hence, the policy of ADP to put in place the age limit.

Apart from this, Bankole observed that in some developed countries, people under age 50 had emerged as leaders in the last 20 years.

He mentioned former Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair, President Barak Obama of the USA and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, as young leaders who had performed very well.

The former national chairman of the defunct All Peoples Party of Nigeria (APP) gave this disclosure at his Onikolobo, Abeokuta residence, on Sunday, during a chat with newsmen.

He said though age has nothing to do with the health challenge of President Muhammadu Buhari, more youths in Nigeria should be given opportunity to prove their mettle in leadership.

The politician, popularly called ‘Caterpillar’, however, stated that the ADP would create the platform for youths to thrive in politics, saying “we are tired of recycling the same set of leaders”.

“The fashion in the advance democracies is to elect people in their 40s into leadership positions. Most of Nigeria’s leaders performed well when they were at their prime. Awolowo was just around 30 years when he became the Premier of Western Region. Ditto Zik.

“Obasanjo left as the military Head of State around 42 years in 1979, only for us to bring him back at the age of 62 as president in 1999.

 “Buhari showed leadership character when he first came as military head of state at age 39. Babangida, did all what he did as young man, why do we now recycle leaders?

“When Obasanjo was the president, I was close to him and witnessed how he worked for 18 hours non-stop. That was strenuous for his age, let alone somebody over 70.

“This is what ADP will address and ensure that new leaders who are young, energetic and intelligent, emerge. If you notice, most of the multi-national companies, including banks, are being headed by young people who have performed excellently well. This, we will ensure, is replicated in politics.”

Meanwhile, the ADP BoT chairman, disclosed that the party would adopt Option A4 to curtail what he called ‘monetisation’ of political process in order for the youth without money to have equal opportunity.

He equally said that the party, if elected, would adopt what he described as “parliamentary or semi-parliamentary” system to reduce the number aides both at the executive and legislative arms of the government and reduce recurrent expenditure.

He continued, “You see, this delegate system of electing party flag bearers is too expensive and corrupt. Imagine a situation where presidential aspirant would give each delegate a sum of N5m or $10,000. That system, we believe, cannot give opportunity to young people to emerge.

“Our party won’t allow money bags or former military people to hijack it such as they did in the other parties. The party is purely for people who are ready to serve. That is why our membership card is just N250, while a sum of N100 will be paid as monthly dues by members,” he submitted.