- Jonathan denies advocating 50-year age limit for leaders.
- Says remarks promoted youth inclusion, not exclusion.
- Aide clarifies comments were taken out of context.
The office of former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified what it described as a misrepresentation of his recent remarks on youth participation in governance.’
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that
In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former President said social media claims suggesting he advocated a maximum age of 50 for African leaders were taken out of context.
Jonathan had spoken at the 50th anniversary commemoration of the passing of Murtala Mohammed, where he reflected on youth leadership and generational inclusion in governance.
According to the statement, his comments were not a call for a rigid age limit but an appeal for broader generational inclusion in public office.
“The event was a memorial in honour of General Murtala Mohammed, who assumed office at the youthful age of 36,” Eze said.
“In reflecting on his legacy, former President Jonathan highlighted the importance of youth participation in governance, using the experiences of leaders from that era as reference points.”
The statement noted that Jonathan cited examples including a 38-year-old Olusegun Obasanjo, a 32-year-old Yakubu Gowon and a 24-year-old Alfred Diete-Spiff to illustrate the historic contributions of young leaders.
“These examples were intended to encourage greater youth inclusion in governance across Africa,” the statement said.
Eze stressed that Jonathan’s message focused on competence, innovation and capacity rather than age restriction.
“President Jonathan’s central message was not about setting a rigid age limit for leadership. Rather, he emphasised the need to prioritise competence, capacity, innovation, technological awareness, and the energy required to meet the demanding responsibilities of public office,” the statement read.
He added, “His remarks were a call for generational inclusion and leadership renewal, not an exclusion of older individuals from public service.”
The statement dismissed claims that Jonathan sought to disqualify older politicians, noting that he assumed Nigeria’s highest office in his fifties.
“President Jonathan maintains that leadership should be defined by vision, character, competence, and the physical and mental ability to serve, not by age alone,” it added.
Eze expressed hope that the clarification would address any misunderstanding arising from the speech.
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