2019: Hameed Ali’s outburst that Buhari at over 70 shouldn’t contest again means a lot
The sincere remarks by Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali, on Tuesday that if he were President Muhammadu Buhari, he would not contest 2019 election having passed the age of 70, has raised salient issues bordering on age and productivity.
Ali said this at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday when he led members of the Buhari Support Organization to a meeting with the President.
However, he was quick to aver that Buhari chose to contest for the Presidency because of his love for the country and roared that those complaining of hunger were lazy Nigerians.
Ali said his group was solidly in support of Buhari’s second term bid because of the president’s integrity, honesty and love for Nigeria.
He said, “I’ve said it and I’ll repeat it here Mr. President with all due respect, at 70 plus, with good retirement benefits and with your house in Daura, if I were you, I’d see no reason to be in this arena. But why are you here? It’s because you love this great country. You left your comfort to serve Nigeria and that’s why for those of us who love you for who you’re said we must follow you and ensure that your second term in this country becomes a reality.”
In an interview on the imports of the comments, a Lagos public affairs analyst, Mr. Jamiu Adegoke said “The advice is germane and the best a confident can give to a loved one considering the state of affairs in the country in the last three years”.
“I think Mr. Ali was looking at the dynamics of population and resourcefulness of a man in his unproductive years. Remember, experts in demographic studies made it clear that the active age bracket for good productivity delivery is between age 18 to 65 and that is the official retirement age is kept at 65 worldwide.
Also speaking, another analyst who pleaded anonymity queried the extent of love so far shown to Nigerians in the last three year as to serve as a pull factor to continue.
