Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works and housing, has stated that only people under the age of sixty should be competing for political and public office.
Fashola stated in a news interview that he decided not to run for any political office in 2023 because he felt it was time to provide room for newer characters.
“We are talking about young people, is it not time for us to leave the space? I came in at 39, I’m going at 60, let some 30-year olds too come and start their journey. It’s time to go.” Fashola opined
Fashola, who was formerly considered one of the front-runners for the presidency in 2023, opted not to run for his party, the All Progressives Congress, in the primary election on June 700.
“I’m going home,” he stressed when asked of his next political move.
“You see, next year, it will be 35 years since I left school, 1988 to 2023. So, if I took a public service career, I will retire next year, because the rule is 35 years of service or 60 years of age, and coincidentally by next year, I’ll be 60 years.”
Fashola’s stance on the retirement age for public office holders, however, conflicts with the APC’s choice of Bola Tinubu, 76, as its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. In Lagos, Tinubu served as Fashola’s predecessor and political patron.
