Deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has defined why the 35 years age requirement for the Senate and governorship place was not lowered when the Not Too Young To Run invoice was handed by the National Assembly.
In an assertion signed on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu mentioned it was to right the preliminary disparity within the 1999 Constitution between the age requirement for the Senate and the Presidency.
Ekweremadu additionally said that Section 146 (1) gives that the Vice President shall maintain the workplace of President if the workplace of President turns into vacant by purpose of dying or resignation, impeachment, everlasting incapacity or the removing of the President from workplace for every other purpose in accordance with part 143 of the Constitution.
“However, Section 146 (2) additional gives that the place any emptiness happens within the circumstances talked about in Sub-section 1 throughout an interval when the workplace of Vice-President can also be vacant, the President of the Senate shall maintain the workplace of President for an interval of no more than three months, throughout which there shall be an Election of a new President, who shall maintain workplace for the unexpired time period of workplace of the final holder of the workplace’.
“So, since the President of the Senate, a Senator, could become an Acting President by happenstance, it is only right that the qualification for both offices are the same,” he mentioned.
Speaking on the retention of age qualification for the workplace of the Governor, Ekweremadu mentioned the bulk opinion was that 35 years needs to be excellent for now to allow the would-be governors, to garner the requisite expertise.
“However, the Not-Too-Young-To-Run modification is only one large step ahead. It is just not the tip of the highway, however only the start of the highway. It is just not a finish in itself, however a means to a finish.
“I believe that anyone, who is 18 years old and qualified to vote should also be qualified to stand for an election. This is our ultimate target and I believe we will get there. So, it is work in progress because constitution amendment is a continuum,” he mentioned.