Afe Babalola rejects Tinubu, Atiku, says Nigeria needs young President

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, on Thursday, educated the political parties and voters on qualities to look out for before adopting or voting anyone to become the next Nigeria’s President.

Babalola, in a three-page statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said that the parties must search for the very best, without mundane considerations in picking their candidates.
The legal practitioner, who is also the Founder, of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, said that the country needed a candidate who would go beyond politics and embrace the principle of a stronger Nigeria.

According to him, such a candidate must be highly educated, up to at least a degree level and must not have a history of a penchant for corrupt practices.
Babalola, in the statement entitled, ‘The Presidency: When a Candidate Is or Not Qualified’, said that such a candidate must not be too old and must be of sound health.

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According to him, in addition, he must possess the ability to speak off the cuff.
Babalola said, “The candidate must produce evidence that he possesses unquestionable means of livelihood.
“He should not just be seeking election as a means of securing employment or to offset outstanding indebtedness or use his position as the President to divert government’s funds into his offshore accounts.”
He further advised that the candidate must demonstrate that “he is willing and prepared to serve the nation without earning salaries, as it was the case between 1960 and Jan. 15, 1966.

“The sum total of the qualities those who deserve to be voted for as Nigeria’s President are age, health, education, sound knowledge of current affairs, work ethics, experience, human relations, vision and mission for Nigeria.
“Others are; belief in the need for a new Constitution, oratory power, kindness, friendliness and firmness, previous contributions to development, economic standing and readiness to serve as well as proven ability to solve problems,” Babalola said.
On age, he explained that any candidate for the post of Nigeria’s President should not be more than 60 years old so that if he has the opportunity of serving two terms of four years each, he would still be leaving office before he turns 70.

Babalola, commenting on health, said the candidate must be physically, mentally and medically fit. By his age limit, Babalola, therefore, rejected Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition and Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s. 

“The President should not be a person who will be looking for medical treatment from hospital to the hospital around the world.“He must be so healthy that he should be able to work for a minimum of 14 hours a day. “It is normal that the aspirant for the post of Nigeria’s President must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, obtained from a reputable university.“Sound knowledge of current affairs must also be considered.“A person aspiring for the post of Nigeria’s President should possess a sound knowledge of Nigerian, African and world affairs for him to be able to speak and debate convincingly on any of them,” he said.