Governor of Ebonyi State and 2023 presidential aspirant, Dave Umahi, has said politicians in Nigeria should have retirement age to determine who can run for political offices.
The governor spoke on Monday when he featured as a guest on Channels Television.
Speaking on the show, the governor lamented the fact that anyone can contest for the country’s presidency, including those that are already old.
He said, “In this country, I find it very funny for people at certain age in this country that are still fighting so hard for money. I thought that at certain age, we should be making efforts to reconcile with God and be grateful to him for the opportunity given to us.
“So, it is important that we begin to engage and say, look, even if you are successful and your children are not successful, then you are not successful. We must let people know the true meaning of life; nobody goes to the grave with this money but it is your legacy that will speak for you, speak for your children and for your generation.
“This is the kind of engagement that we need to do so that people will understand that everything is not about money and that every position given to us by God as leaders, God will ask us for accountability for what we did with such positions.”
When asked to throw light on those he said were concerned about money, Umahi said, “What I mean is that in this country, there is no age limit by which we can say we have retired, we tend to be pursuing money till the end of our stay on earth in Nigeria.”
“I’m not just talking about political leadership, generally, at certain age in your life, you should be able to say I need to retire and give opportunities to your children. It cuts across all areas of life.”
On if there was anyone running for president alongside himself who should retire and allow the “children” to take over, the governor said, “Not in my mind at all.”
On January 11, Umahi, a governor under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had visited President Muhammadu Buhari and informed him of his decision to run for President in 2023.
His declaration came a day after 69-year-old All Progressives Congress National Leader, Bola Tinubu, also visited the President in Aso Villa and announced his “lifelong” presidential dream.
Speaking on the television programme on Monday, Umahi said announcing his presidential ambition at Aso Villa some 24 hours after Tinubu’s was only coincidental and not planned.
Umahi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling APC in November 2020 amid rising clamour for the South-East zone to produce the next President of Nigeria.
