FAYOSE’S UNDUE CELEBRATION OF THE AGE BILL By Sola Ebiseni

The reduction of age for elections by the National Assembly is hardly worth rolling out the drums for, as Governor Fayose appears to be doing.

As a state governor and head of one of the Nigerian federating units, it is worrisome that the eyes, mind and admirably vocal voice of the Ekiti Governor could miss the National Assembly’s condemnable rejection of devolution of powers to the states and general restructuring of the polity.

While it goes without saying that access to power ought to be democratically and indiscriminately determined, celebrating such token by a governor may, inadvertently give the National Assembly a false sense of accomplishment, and the wrong impression that the people care less about the critical issues of restructuring.

This is more so coming from the South West, particularly Fayose who has admirably carved a niche for himself as the voice of courage in contemporary Nigerian politics.

It is curious what Fayose himself sought to gain by restricting contest for election as a Local Government Chairman to below 50 years. For instance, I was elected Chairman of the former Ilaje/Ese Odo Local Government at the age of 30, yet there were, in the same elections, other Councils which preferred men far older even above 70 as their democratic choices.

Nigeria is presently at war between retrogressive but coordinated and determined forces seeking to maintain the current military imposed unitary system by which governors find it impossible to meet their democratic obligations, and those generally advocating true federalism and an end to the system that entrenches the subjugation of the federating units and their component nationalities.

The governors must be seen to queue behind their people’s agitation and shun tokenist distractions.