NEWS
Ex-Governor, Orji Kalu Argues Experience, Not Age, Should Decide Nigeria’s President

Former Abia State Governor and current Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has emphatically declared that his age would not disqualify him from seeking Nigeria’s highest office in future elections. Dependable NG reports that the senator argued that the quality of leadership and intellect, rather than chronological age, should be the sole determining factor for the presidency.
The prominent politician made this assertion during an appearance on the popular Channels Television programme, ‘Politics Today’, where he addressed questions regarding the enduring national conversation about youth in governance. Kalu, who is currently 65 years old, dismissed any notion that his generation should automatically step aside, directly contrasting his age with that of current political figures across the world. He specifically cited a leader from a major global power to buttress his point. “I’m 65 years old now. US President Donald Trump is 79. If I’m healthy and God gives me life, I could still be president of Nigeria,” he stated.
Senator Kalu framed the issue as a simple matter of capacity and brainpower, rather than a fixed number on a birth certificate. He maintained that the national discussion should move away from arbitrary age restrictions and focus squarely on a candidate’s readiness and vision for the country. “The question is not age. The question is competency. What is in my brain that I need to deliver. It’s not when or where. It’s rather how ready I am,” the former Governor insisted, stressing that national leadership is a cognitive challenge.
Kalu’s statement is significant, coming amid a prolonged national debate ignited by the ‘Not Too Young to Run’ movement, which advocates for younger leadership and challenges the dominance of older politicians in the country’s power structure. His argument aligns with a school of thought that insists that experience and proven administrative acumen—assets often accumulated over a long political career—are invaluable and transcend mere age limits, provided the aspirant remains physically and mentally fit. Political observers note that while the Nigerian Constitution sets minimum age limits for elective offices, there is no maximum age, making the debate largely a moral and competency-based one. As a two-term former governor and a serving senator, Kalu’s declaration fuels speculation regarding his future political ambitions, keeping his name in the national conversation for the next presidential cycle where the clamour for a leader with both experience and dynamism will be paramount.