Atiku: Tinubu’s Policy on Age Limit for Tertiary Education Belongs to the Stone Age

•Says he’s worried about Nigerians’ plight, not 2027 

•Ex-vice president can only attempt presidency again in 2031, when he’s 85 years, says George

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Segun James in Lagos

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the new age limit policy for admission into higher institutions in the country, saying it belongs to the stone age.

Atku’s views were contained in a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe.

But the comments drew rebukes from supporters of the President Bola Tinubu government, who appeared to view Atiku’s disapproval of the new policy as an attack on the president.

Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, said Atiku should wait till 2031, when he would be 85 years old, to take another shot at the country’s number one seat.

However, in a statement, the former vice president said, “The recent policy of the Federal Ministry of Education pegging age limits for entry to tertiary institutions is an absurdity and a disincentive to scholarship.

“The policy runs foul of the notion of delineation of responsibilities in a federal system of government such as we are practising, and gives a graphic impression of how the Tinubu government behaves like a lost sailor on a high sea.

“Otherwise, how is such anti-scholarship regulation the next logical step in the myriad of issues besetting our educational system?”

The federal government had prohibited persons under the age of 18 from taking part in the National Examinations Council and West African Examinations Council exams. Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, disclosed this when he featured on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics” programme on Sunday night.

Mamman explained that the federal government had directed WAEC, which conducts the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and NECO, which oversees the Senior School Certificate Examination to enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates wishing to take these exams.

He added that the age limit for candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, remained set at 18 years.

Atiku, in his reaction, stated, “To be clear, the Nigerian constitution puts education in the Concurrent list of schedules, in which the  sub-national government enjoys more roles above the federal government.

“Therefore, it is extra-constitutional for the federal government to legislate on education in a manner similar to a decree. The best global standard for such regulation is to allow the sub-national governments to make respective laws or rules on education.

“It is discouraging that even while announcing this obnoxious policy, the government inadvertently said it had no plan to cater to specially gifted pupils. That statement is an embarrassment to the body of intellectuals in the country because it portrays Nigeria as a country where gifted students are not appreciated.

“The irony here is that should the federal government play any role in education, it is to set up mechanisms that will identify and grant scholarships to gifted students not minding their ages before applying for admission into tertiary institutions.

“This controversial policy belongs in the Stone Age and should be roundly condemned by everyone who believes in intellectual freedom and accessibility.”

Atiku said his immediate worry was the plight that Nigerians were passing through and not 2027. He urged George to take his advice to Tinubu.

Atiku stated, “We cannot afford to put the cart before the horse. At this point, Atiku Abubakar’s preoccupation is not 2027. His concern is about 2024.

“It is about 2025 and 2026 and beyond. His concern is about the plight of Nigerians, who are literarily going through hell because of the failed trial-and-error policies of this administration.

“The average citizen, and indeed all Nigerians, need to survive the tsunami that has become the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

 “It is insensitive to be talking about 2027 now when the 2023 mandate has not yielded any tangible benefits for Nigerians, who are now far worse off in every facet of life.”

The statement added, “Bode George himself should also turn his attention to counselling Tinubu to reassess some of his ill-advised policies that have deepened poverty and divisions in our country instead of prioritising the politics of 2027.”

George, who opposed Atiku in the 2023 election, had insisted that his ambition to contest in 2027 would be inordinate and that a southerner must occupy the office of Nigerian president from 2023 to 2031.

This, according to him, was “because that is the reality of our country, PDP constitution and our polity”.

The former military governor of Ondo State (1987 – 1990) said in a statement that even in 2027, Atiku would be 81 years “and this is the time for him to embrace the President Joe Biden concept of allowing the younger generation to run for the highest office in the land”.

George stated, “I have nothing personal against Alhaji Abubakar. He is my friend but the truth must be told. By 2027, by God’s grace, I will also be in my 80s. So, what am I looking for in public office as an octogenarian? The same principle should apply to Alhaji Abubakar.

“We all saw what American President Joe Biden did recently when he stepped down for Kamala Harris to contest the November presidential election. That is the hallmark of a statesman. Alhaji Abubakar should do same so that in 2027, PDP will field a southerner as presidential candidate.

“Aside that, General Buhari, a northerner from Katsina State just left office after eight years. Alhaji Abubakar is also a northerner from Adamawa State. So, power cannot go to the north in 2027. That is the reality of our country and our party’s constitution.”

George explained, “Section 7, Sub-section 3 (C) says zoning and rotation must be maintained for justice, fairness and equity. In our party, this is the right and logical thing to do in the present political circumstances.  But if Alhaji Abubakar is desperate to contest again, I will advise him as a friend, a party man and brother to wait till 2031. By then, he will be 85 years.”