Fayose says President is too old to run in 2019

Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose, has told President Muhammadu Buhari that

The governor said this in the wake of the president's signing of the "Not Too Young To Run" bill into law at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, May 31, 2018. The law alters Sections 65, 106, 131, and 177 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to reduce the age of qualification for the office of the President from 40 to 35 years; House of Representatives from 30 to 25 years; and the House of Assembly from 30 to 25 years.

Taking to his Twitter account (@GovAyoFayose) on Friday, June 1, 2018, the Ekiti governor said the future of the country belongs to the youths that the president has already tagged as lazy.

He noted that Ekiti state is a great champion of including youths in governance and took a dig at the All Progressives' Congress (APC) candidate in the upcoming Ekiti gubernatorial election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for picking a 74-year-old, Adebisi Egbeyemi, as his running mate.

In a final shot at Buhari, Fayose told him to vacate the Presidential Villa for youths because he's too old to contest.

He posted, "We must have a Nigeria where anyone who is qualified to vote can also be voted for, not this hypocritical signing of "Not Too Young To Run" Bill by the same President who said our youths are lazy and must not run against him in 2019.

"I commend the youths who championed the "Not Too Young To Run" agitation and urge them not to relent because it is not yet uhuru. We must totally return the country to the youths who own the future of Nigeria. Here in Ekiti, if you are above 40 years, you can't be LG councillor.

"The future of Nigeria belongs to the youths and we must hand over the country to them without restrictions. If at 18, you are old enough to choose, you must also be seen as old enough to be chosen.

"Today in Ekiti, the PDP Deputy governorship candidate is 39 year old. He became chairman of Ado LG at 35. On the contrary, the APC deputy governorship candidate is 74 year old. He was chairman of Ado LG 25 years ago.

"Lastly, our President who signed the "Not Too Young To Run" should be reminded that at his very old age, he is also "Too old To Run." He should leave the stage for the younger generation of Nigerians."

75-year-old Buhari has officially declared to contest for re-election in next year's election as many have raised questions over his health and continued suitability to the position.

With his second term as Ekiti governor set to end, Fayose is in the running for the primary ticket of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to enable him contest in the 2019 presidential election.